His visit to the Marine Corps unit on Yeonpyeong Island, one of the country's westernmost islands, came a day ahead of the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War (1950-53).
Lee sat down with service members for lunch, where he underscored the importance of military readiness, describing peace as the ultimate goal of national security that must be backed by a strong military capable of deterring enemy threats.
Lee outlined three stages of national security — winning a fight, winning without a fight, and preventing a fight from happening at all — singling out the third as the most important for achieving peace.
"Peace is the strongest foundation for security," he added.
He also pledged to reform mandatory military service to help conscripts develop skills useful for their future careers, adding that the government will gradually reduce conscription and eventually transition to a fully voluntary system.
Expressing gratitude to the soldiers, Lee said their dedication and commitment allow the South Korean people to go about their daily lives in peace. He added that those who make sacrifices for the country deserve special compensation, pledging continued government support for service members and veterans.
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