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President Lee Jae-myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on July 22. / Yonhap News

On August 5, a day before the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, President Lee Jae-myung offered condolences to Korean victims and their families, vowing continued efforts to heal the wounds left by the tragedy.

In a Facebook post titled “Inscribing a promise of peace on a history of pain,” Lee wrote, “I extend my deepest condolences and sympathy to the Korean atomic bomb victims and their bereaved families who endured layers of suffering in a foreign land that was not their homeland.”

He added, “Eighty years ago, two atomic bombs dropped on Japan instantly claimed countless lives. Our compatriots in Japan also paid a heavy price, and victims and their families have suffered for decades.”

Lee noted that while the 2017 Special Act for Supporting Korean Victims of the Atomic Bomb established a foundation for practical assistance, “it remains insufficient considering the long years that have passed. The government will continue its efforts to heal the scars left by the bombing.”

He also expressed gratitude to the Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan), saying, “Every year, memorial services are held in Korea and Japan to comfort the souls of the victims. I am deeply thankful to Mindan for building memorial monuments and organizing these services on behalf of the homeland.”

Lee pledged to “uphold the value of peace more firmly to ensure that the horrors of war never repeat.”

Meanwhile, the presidential office dismissed reports that Lee might visit Japan to meet Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on his way back from the upcoming South Korea-US summit, calling them “untrue.” It emphasized that both leaders had confirmed their commitment to resuming shuttle diplomacy during their recent phone call on June 9 and summit on June 17.