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President Seokyoul Yoon and American counterpart Joe Biden had summit on May 21 at Yoon's office. The two leaders and two aids on both sides exchanged opinions on diplomacy and security.
After 72 minutes of the talk, the two leaders alone carried on a pleasant conversation for 25 minutes followed by 12 minutes of expanded meeting, totalling 110 minutes. The joint statement announced afterwards included: strengthening the North's expansion deterrents, economic and security cooperation between the South and the US and building law and order through IPEF.
At the following welcoming banquet, Yoon emphasized the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties and 70th anniversary of South Korea-US Alliance and the summit this time was to make sure of the alliance.
He pointed out young Americans who fought for the South and lost their lives and their sacrifice was the foundation for the South to grow freedom, democracy and market economy.
He added the alliance and cooperation would only be stronger and the two countries would walk together for security and cutting technologies under the universal liberal democracy, human rights and constitutionalism. He closed his speech that Mr. Biden's favorite poet is Yeats who said "Think where man's glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends", adding that South Korea and the US were but such friends.
Biden said that the meeting was very productive and they came to know each other better. Biden thanked Yoon's quoting Yeast's poem and South Korea's democracy showed the power to be able to deliver for its people.
Mr. Biden said that both armed forces stood side by side, standing sentinel on the Korean Peninsula for 70 decades to preserve peace and prosperity, wishing the alliance between the two countries continue to flourish through all the decades ahead. The banquet was attended by 50 renowned figures of the South and 30 of the US.
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Yoon attends 42nd May 18 Commemorative Ceremony
President Yoon attended the 42nd May 18 Commemorative Ceremony held at May 18th National Cemetery. Around 2,000 government officials, families of the victims, heads of related organizations and citizens came to pay respect on the day.
"The spirit of the May 18th for us is to recover universal value and to keep liberal democracy. The spirit is for all of us and an important national asset. It is our job to pass down this spirit to the generations to come and for the prosperity of the nation" said Yoon in his speech.
Yoon also emphasized "The spirit of the May 18th is the very foundation for the unity of the people and we must spread the value of liberal democracy and human rights not only in the nation but to the world. Let us work together to shine the power of truth and the power of justice of the spirit forever."
In the commemorative video clips shown prior to the ceremony, actor Jihoon Lee drove the taxi appeared on the movie Taxi passing some of the historic sites including the front gate of Chonnam National University, Jeonil Building 245 on Geumnam-ro, old Jeollanam-do Office and Red Cross Hospital to arrive at May 18th National Cemetery. On board was the Chonnam National University May 18th Institute director Jeongki Jeon who gave commentary on each site the taxi stopped.
Heongmi Kim who lost her brother and is now serving the director of May 18 Home and Heangduk Kim who participated the demonstration as a citizen militia and is now a photographer delivered their stories on the day. A number of commemorative performances were also taken place and the event was closed with singing all together the famous song 'March for The Beloved'.
Yoon is the first conservative president to attend May 18 Commemorative Ceremony. <PowerKorea>
백종원 기자 bridgekorea@naver.com
