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President Lee Jae-myung delivers a memorial speech during the 70th Memorial Day ceremony at Seoul National Cemetery on June 6. / Source: Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung on July 27 reaffirmed the strength of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, calling the United States “a blood ally and our strongest partner,” in a commemorative address marking the 72nd anniversary of the Korean War armistice.

In remarks read on his behalf by Patriots and Veterans Affairs Minister Kwon Oh-eul at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., Lee said, “Through political, economic, security, and cultural cooperation, we will continue to strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance forged in blood.”

Lee praised the U.S. for its swift response to the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, noting that it led the adoption of the U.N. Security Council resolution and established the U.N. Command to help protect South Korea’s freedom and peace.

“The United States is a blood alliance that shed its blood for us — and our most powerful ally,” Lee said.

He went on to express gratitude to the American soldiers who fought in the war, stating, “Of the 22 participating nations, the U.S. sent the largest contingent of 1.789 million troops, with over 36,000 killed, more than 92,000 wounded, and some 8,000 missing or taken prisoner. They shed blood for a country they had never even met.”

He added, “Thanks to the sacrifice and dedication of the participating nations and their veterans, the people of South Korea can now enjoy freedom and peace. We will express our gratitude to as many veterans as possible and pass on their noble legacy to future generations. We will also redouble our efforts to ensure that freedom and peace are firmly upheld on the Korean Peninsula.”

The ceremony was attended by over 200 participants, including U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins and White House National Security Council Senior Director Ivan Kanapathy.