The ultimate goal of our diplomatic policy is to ease tension and secure lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, thus paving a broad avenue for peacef… - Chun Doo-hwan

The Soviet Union which forcibly occupied the northern half of our land and instigated its communist puppets (in North Korea) to touch off the fratricidal Korean War (of 1950-53) did not stop there but continues to direct its expansionist strategy toward us.

I have always maintained an unwavering resolve to set such an example to insure that a tradition of peaceful changes of administrations, which is the long cherished goal of the 40-year political history of the republic, will evolve and take hold in this land. In fact, I have always run the affairs of state with that goal in mind.

Because social stability and national harmony were being undermined by the recent continuing demonstrations and strife over the constitutional issue, I believe that you, my fellow countrymen, not only experienced serious inconvenience and anxiety but were also worried that catastrophe might befall the nation if that state of affairs continued.