Meloni visits Seoul cemetery: ‘Side by side for freedom and peace’

Seoul (South Korea), 18 Jan. (LaPresse) – In her first official engagement since arriving in South Korea, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited the Seoul National Cemetery this morning, the country’s main national cemetery honouring soldiers who fell for their nation, particularly during the Korean War. During the visit – a tribute paid by all heads of state and government visiting Seoul – the prime minister saluted the national flag and took part in the wreath-laying ceremony, then offered incense three times as required by the ritual (in Korea, three is the symbolic number representing the union of heaven, earth and people, as in the flag). Before concluding her visit to the cemetery, Meloni signed the guest book, leaving this message: ‘Today I am here to bow before all those who sacrificed the most precious thing they had in the name of their country. Their sacrifice was not in vain, because it gave a voice to a people and a future to a nation. Here, memory lives in the present and becomes a responsibility for future generations. Today, as yesterday, Italy and Korea stand side by side to defend freedom and build peace’. Meloni’s second engagement of the day will be a meeting with representatives of the main Italian companies operating in South Korea.