South Korean President Visits Marine Unit on Yeonpyeong Island

President Lee Jae Myung visited a Marine Corps unit on Yeonpyeong Island on June 24, 2026. The island sits just below the Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea, the de facto maritime border with North Korea. Lee received a briefing on illegal fishing by Chinese vessels and raised the possibility of deploying patrol ships to curb the activity.

He shared lunch with service members at the unit. Lee described three stages of national security: winning a fight, winning without a fight, and making a fight unnecessary. He identified the third stage as the most important.

"This exactly constitutes peace. Peace is the most solid foundation for security," Lee said. He added that peace must rest on strong deterrence capable of overpowering the enemy and pledged to strengthen South Korea's military capabilities.

Lee also pledged to reform the compulsory military service system by minimizing conscription and eventually replacing it with a voluntary system. "I will reform the system so that you no longer waste your precious time in the military, but that (your military service) helps you demonstrate your abilities in society," he said.

The Korean War began in 1950 and ended with an armistice on July 27, 1953, leaving the Korean Peninsula divided.