Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

At the ceremony to mark the 7th West Sea Protection Day,

the voice of the late lieutenant commander Yoon Yeong-ha rings out again thanks to AI, and his recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance adds significance to the ceremony

President Moon Jae-in posts memorial address on SNS

On March 25, a government-led ceremony to mark the 7th West Sea Protection Day was held at the National Cemetery in Daejeon. The ceremony was held to commemorate and memorialize the spirit and patriotism of the fallen heroes who became stars of the West Sea.

The Friday event was held to commemorate the ‘55 soldiers who gave their lives to protect the West Sea’ in the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, the sinking of the Cheonan warship, and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island.

Presided over by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, the event was attended by 250 people, including the bereaved families, soldiers who participated in the battles, Minister of National Defense Suh Wook, the Army Chief of Staff, Navy Chief of Staff, Air Force Chief of Staff, and Commandant of the Marine Corps.

With the theme ‘eternal names as stars of the West Sea,’ the event opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, which was followed by an offering of flowers, a silent tribute, a commemorative concert, and a tribute concert.

Significantly, the voice of late lieutenant commander Yoon Yeong-ha was restored using AI, and his recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance added to the impact of the ceremony.

At the commemorative concert, some photos of the 55 soldiers with their families appeared on the screen while Kim Jin-ho, one of the members of SG Wannabe, was belting out a song titled ‘Family Photo.’ Many of the bereaved families who were watching shed pent-up tears, a solemn moment that was felt by all the participants. At the ‘as stars of the West Sea’ tribute concert, military singers and vocalists gave an accompanied performance, showing the willingness to protect the West Sea of Navy and Marine Corps soldiers, who are on active duty protecting the Northern Limit Line (NLL).

The event ended with a commemorative flight, in which the Black Eagles, a special flight team of the Air Force, flew in Taeguek patterns around the memorial tower.

“We are sending a clear warning to the North Korean authorities. With its latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), North Korea has violated the United Nations Security Council resolution and posed a serious threat to the international community, as well as the Korean Peninsula,” Prime Minister Kim said, stressing that “With the military’s steady response capability and the solid ROK-US alliance, we will protect peace on the Korean Peninsula, regardless of the situation.”

“The courage, fighting spirit and grateful patriotism of the heroes of the West Sea, who completed their honorable duties until the last moment, will never be forgotten in the history of our country. We will also be faithful in showing our respect and support to the bereaved families and other soldiers who were in this battle,” Kim also promised.

In his SNS message posted on Friday, President Moon Jae-in eulogized the fallen heroes. “This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, and the 12th anniversary of the sinking of the Cheonan warship and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island. The heroes will never be forgotten, and have brought us an overwhelming defense power,” Moon said, adding that “North Korea’s latest launch of a long-distance ballistic missile has led to a very grave security situation on the Korean Peninsula. Building peace through strong security is the best way to honor the memory of the heroes of the West Sea.”

By Chul-Hwan, Kim < droid001@dema.mil.kr >

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