President Lee Jae-myung said that honoring and rewarding those who sacrificed for the nation is a fundamental duty and responsibility of the state, emphasizing that special sacrifices made for all deserve special recognition and compensation.

The president made the remarks on Friday during a ceremony at the Seoul National Cemetery marking the nation’s 70th Memorial Day.

Lee said that sacrifice for the country should be met with rightful compensation and devotion to all should be held as the highest honor, pledging to expand state support for national heroes who devoted themselves to the nation. 

The president added that the government will ensure the surviving spouses of those who sacrificed themselves to protect the country do not face hardship and pledged to establish a comprehensive healthcare system for patriots and veterans so that they can receive readily available medical benefits.

In addition, Lee said that the government will provide fair compensation for military service to ensure due respect for veterans and national merit recipients. 

The president also vowed to improve working conditions for those in uniform including soldiers, police officers and firefighters so they can protect the nation and people without worry.