'Peace' 38 Times, 'Regime Respect' Declaration: 5 Meanings of President Lee Jae-myung's First March 1st Address for the Korean Peninsula
President Lee Jae-myung officially declared respect for North Korea's regime and rejection of absorption unification at his first March 1st commemorative ceremony since taking office, mentioning 'peace' 38 times. The People Power Party pushed back calling it 'shameful before history,' while Lee also pledged to continue shuttle diplomacy with Japan and China, signaling a shift in the Korean Peninsula's diplomatic landscape.
Why You Should Pay Attention Now: At his first March 1st Independence Movement Day as president, Lee Jae-myung declared 'peace' 38 times and officially pledged to respect North Korea's regime. Both ruling and opposition parties are reading this speech as the compass for Korea's diplomatic direction on the peninsula in 2026.
TL;DR
- At the 107th March 1st Independence Movement Day ceremony at COEX on March 1, 2026, President Lee Jae-myung used peace (38 times) · coexistence (8 times) · cooperation (11 times) · Korean Peninsula (15 times) as his core keywords.
- He officially declared respect for the North Korean regime and rejection of absorption unification, and pledged to serve as a 'pacemaker' to restart inter-Korean dialogue.
- He emphasized continued shuttle diplomacy with Japan and trilateral Korea-China-Japan cooperation, presenting a vision of Northeast Asian harmony.
- The People Power Party immediately pushed back, saying "this is not what should be said on March 1st," and the political fallout continued.
- He also mentioned the drone infiltration incident, expressing a parallel intent to ease military tensions.
The Facts: The Ceremony
President Lee Jae-myung delivered an approximately 20-minute address at the 107th March 1st Independence Movement Day ceremony held at COEX in Gangnam, Seoul on the morning of March 1st. Notably, he referred to the March 1st Movement as the '3·1 Revolution.'
"The 3·1 Revolution was a declaration of independence and a declaration of peace. Building a peaceful Korean Peninsula where we grow together — not through hostility, but through coexistence and cooperation, not on distrust, but on a foundation of trust — is the path to fully inheriting the spirit of the 3·1 Revolution."
Through the full text of his address, President Lee explicitly stated the following four points:
- Respect for the North's regime — "Our government respects the North's regime and will not engage in any form of hostile acts."
- Rejection of absorption unification — "We do not pursue absorption unification."
- Pacemaker role — "We will communicate with the U.S. and neighboring countries so that U.S.-North Korea dialogue can resume as soon as possible."
- Investigation of the drone incident — He mentioned the recent drone infiltration incident and demanded a thorough investigation.
Why It's Trending: Why Now?
1. The Symbolism of March 1st
March 1st is the most historically sensitive day in Korea. Mentioning 'respect for the North Korean regime' at this occasion inevitably carries a strong symbolic message. The opposition immediately pushed back, saying "it is not right to talk about regime respect upon the sacrifice of independence movement patriots."
2. A Pre-emptive Message While North Korea Remains Silent
Just after North Korea's 9th Workers' Party Congress (February 26th) reaffirmed the 'two-state theory' for inter-Korean relations, President Lee's reconciliation message represents strategic timing. It is analyzed as an attempt to carve out an independent position for the South Korean government amid the 'engage America, reach out to the South' trend.
3. Connection to the Trump-Kim April Contact Speculation
Washington is currently buzzing with speculation about a 4th U.S.-North Korea contact around President Trump's April visit to China. President Lee's 'pacemaker' comment is a signal that Korea intends to make its presence felt at this channel.
Context and Background
Since taking office in June of last year, President Lee Jae-myung has made inter-Korean tension reduction a core diplomatic principle. He made successive visits to China and Japan early in his term to build the foundation for trilateral Korea-China-Japan cooperation, and also expressed his intent to 'restart the Korean Peninsula peace process' at his January 21st New Year press conference.
This March 1st address formally institutionalized this stance through the format of the nation's highest commemorative holiday. Regarding Japan, he also clearly expressed his intent to continue shuttle diplomacy, saying "we have opened the door to good-neighborly friendship even while carrying the pain of the past."
Also noteworthy is his citation of Ahn Jung-geun's 'Theory of East Asian Peace' to argue that Korea-China-Japan cooperation contributes to world peace. This represents a diplomatic groundwork for Korea to lead the Northeast Asian regional architecture, going beyond mere inter-Korean relations.
Outlook
| Scenario | Likelihood | Key Variable |
|---|---|---|
| U.S.-North Korea contact materializes → inter-Korean channel reopens | Medium | Outcome of Trump's April China visit |
| North Korea continues to give no response | High | Follow-up measures after the 9th Workers' Party Congress |
| Domestic political controversy expands | High | Opposition pushback and awareness of upcoming local elections |
| Korea-Japan shuttle diplomacy accelerates | Medium~High | Whether Japan's Takaichi administration cooperates |
Checklist: 5 Things to Watch After This Address
Reference Links
- President Lee: "A Peaceful Korean Peninsula Is the Path to Inheriting the 3·1 Revolution Spirit" — Segye Ilbo
- Lee urges N. Korea to resume dialogue, join in shaping 'new future' — Yonhap
- President Lee calls for South, North to end 'era of confrontation' — JoongAng Daily
- PPP: "President Lee's 'North Regime Respect' Remark Is Not What Should Be Said on March 1st" — MBC
- Analysis of President Lee Jae-myung's First March 1st Address Since Taking Office — YTN
Image Credit
- Seodaemun Prison History Hall — Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain