President Yoon Suk Yeol presented a new vision for unification during his speech commemorating Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. He emphasized that complete liberation cannot be achieved as long as the Korean Peninsula remains divided. However, his vision was overshadowed by internal discord within South Korea, as independence activist groups and opposition parties boycotted the event in protest of his appointment of a conservative professor to lead the Independence Hall of Korea. Yoon outlined three pillars for South Korea to achieve unification: defending freedom, being proactive with human rights improvements in North Korea, and boosting cooperation with the international community. He extended an olive branch to North Korea, expressing willingness to keep the door to inter-Korean dialogue open and proposing the launch of an inter-Korean working-level group to address key issues. Additionally, he emphasized the need for North Korea to take steps towards denuclearization, while also acknowledging the ongoing tensions and conflicts between the two Koreas.