Mexican defense attache cites Admiral Yi's famous order

Brigadier General Héctor Francisco Morán González, Defense, Military and Air Attaché of Mexico in Seoul, became a ‘Best-loved Foreign Defense Attache in Korea’ on Feb. 21, 2018 for a wonderful speech passage delivered at the Republic of Korea Army Club in Yongsang District in Seoul in celebration of the ‘Day of Mexican Army, Air Force and National Flag.’
Quoting from the famed Korean patriot, Admiral Yi Sun-sin, BG Moran Gonzalez began his congratulatory speech at the reception, “Think of the people first rather than of yourself!” The statement was accorded a warm response from the guests at the party which was attended by many Korean celebrities attended.

Amb. Bruno Figueroa Fischer of Mexico delivers a welcome speech at a reception hosted in celebration of the ‘2018 Day of the Mexican Army, Air Force and National Flag’ at the ROK Army Club in Samgakchi, Seoul.

BG Moran Gonzalez then stated that February was a month of enormous relevance to the Mexican people as these were days of pride and national fervor. He said that on Feb. 5th Mexican people commemorated the 101st year of promulgation of their political constitution, on Feb. 10th the 103rd anniversary of the Mexican Air Force, on the 19th the 105th anniversary of the Army, and that on the 24th the National Flag Day. (See excerpts from the speech of BG Moran Gonzalez toward the end of this report.)
The food and beverage were wonderful and the guests found little different from the best spread of food and beverage at any top-rate hotel in the capital city.
Following the speech of BG Moran Gonzalez, Ambassador Bruno Figueroa Fischer made a congratulatory speech, where he stated: “The bilateral military cooperation between Mexico and Korea is increasingly fruitful, as exemplified by the training of the Mexican military personnel in the joint center for peacekeeping operations, the participation of high-performance athletes, also military, in training camps here in Korea, and the exchange of intelligence with a strategic approach.” (See excerpts from the speech of Ambassador Figueroa Fischer toward the end of this article.)

Defense-Military-Air Attaché Brig. Gen. Héctor Francisco Morán González of Mexico delivers a welcoming speech.

Excerpts from the speech of BG Moran Gonzalez:
February is a month of enormous relevance to the Mexican people, these are days of pride and national fervor, since on February 5th we commemorate 101 years of the promulgation of our political constitution; in February 10th the 103rd anniversary of the Mexican air force; in the 19th, the 105th anniversary of the army; and, the 24th, the national flag day.
Four dates, one history and a straight fulfillment of the opportunities for our people.
Our constitution embraces the most profound and permanent aspirations of the Mexican people: security, wellbeing and development in a harmonious environment of legality, rights and responsibilities.
Our flag symbolizes the union, hope, and the blood of the heroes who gave us our nation; and, in the center, a majestic eagle devouring a snake while mounted over a nopal cactus. A legend that became history once our ancestors, the aztecs, observed such scene and founded the great tenochtitlan, where Mexico city is now located.

Ambassador Bruno Figueroa Fischer of Mexico in Seoul and Defense-Military-Air Attaché Brig. Gen. Héctor Francisco Morán González (4th and 5th from right, respectively) stand at attention with other defense personnel of Mexico before the National Flag of Mexico and the Republic of Korea.

The Mexican army and air force, since their creation, have accompanied our people in a permanent fight to guarantee their national security development, peace and sovereignty, looking to obliterate ignorance, hunger and the effects caused by disasters.
Currently we have been integrating into the synergy of peace and global stability as well as missions of peace-keeping operations under the mandate of the united nations.
Just as every other armed forces, we fulfill the missions of external security, guaranteeing the sovereignty and territorial integrity, participating actively in the international projection of our country as a character of global responsibility, being part of diverse military mechanisms of cooperation and defense programmes, cyber security and counter terrorism such as the U.N, the inter-American defense board, the conference of defense ministers of the Americas, and the inter-American committee against terrorism.

Ambassador Figueroa Fischer and Defense Attache BG Morán González (7th and 6thyfrom left, respectively) pose with other military Attachés.

In peacekeeping operations, military observers have been deployed in: occidental Sahara, Haiti, Lebanon, and Colombia. Where there is presence of the mandate to lead the multilateral monitoring mechanism and the verification of the peace agreement, and, as of 2017, peacekeeping operations training center in Mexico began activities.
In between the signing of cooperation and defense agreements with different nations, specifically with the republic of Korea, a memorandum of understanding of intelligence will be signed next month; and in revision phase, another memorandum that guarantees a fluid exchange of training and cooperation in security and defense.

Ambassador Figueroa Fischer and Defense Attache BG Morán González (7th and 9th from right, respectively) pose with other embassy members and guests.

The aforementioned has been reflected in the exchange of personnel to the training center of peacekeeping operations and the personnel sending to different courses is currently under approval process; in the same way, the participation within international forums in matters of security and defense is realized with the republic of Korea.
Regarding missions of internal security, the democratic freedom, the permanence of institutions and subsidiary support for public security are ensured, always with strict attachment to human rights in order to safeguard citizenship and the guarantees that are plasmed in our constitution.

Spouses of the members of the Mexican Embassy in Seoul pose with the lady guests at the reception in celebration of the ‘Day of Mexican Army, Air Force and National Flag.’

The mission that allows us a greater approach with the world, in addition to peacekeeping missions, are the missions of humanitarian aid, this support has been provided to 20 countries on 42 occasions. In the same sense, the mission that approaches ourselves to our people is the plan dn-iii-e (aid to the civilian population in cases of disaster), which has been applying since the year 1966.
In September 2017, soldiers, marines and Mexican pilots faced a battle against hurricanes, heavy rains and earthquakes that struck sensitive regions of the country, particularly the capital.
The Mexican army and air force aided with more than eighteen thousand men and women in the rescue, medical attention, shelters and accommodation centers, as signaled by our General Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, secretary of national defense, "we feel satisfied to help our compatriots, to work shoulder to shoulder with other Mexicans because, we, the soldiers, are the people in a military uniform."

Ambassador Bruno Figueroa Fischer of Mexico (right) poses with Publisher-Chairman Lee Kyung-sik of The Korea Post media.

The people of Mexico highlight the international solidarity of our brother and sister countries that supported our nation in such difficult moments. We only feel gratitude for all of you, who sent support, personnel and your experience to counteract against the event that affected us. This is a result of the approach that the government and the Mexican armed forces have developed outside of the Mexican borders.
More than 100 years have passed in which the Mexican army and air force, in coordination and permanent cooperation with the navy, who manifest every day their love to Mexico during training and in the meticulous preparation of each activity that they perform in benefit of all Mexicans and all friend nations.

Mexican dancers with traditional costumes.

Excellent invitees, ambassadors, generals, dear colleagues that accompany us in this celebration, we feel proud of your presence, we want you to share with all of you this commemoration, that fills us, Mexicans, with satisfaction because it represents the inheritance of our heroes who have achieved to build a country that surely advances day to day for a better life. Thank you very much.

Excerpts from the speech of Ambassador Figueroa Fischer:
Brigadier General Hector Moran, distinguished representatives of the armed forces of the republic of Korea and sister countries, ladies and gentlemen:
It is such a special honour for me to accompany, just as we Mexicans do so every year, the celebration of the national army day.

Mexican dancers wearing traditional Mexican costumes present traditional Mexican dances to the warm applause of the guests.

It is an occasion that allows us to reiterate our recognition to the men and women that dedicate their lives to defend territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of our nation.
On February 19th, the constitutional president of the united Mexican states and supreme commander of our armed forces, enrique peña nieto, highlighted that the army is a fundamental institution for the preservation of the institutions of our democratic regime.
The work of the armed forces is essential in shaping the rule of law, in the tasks of supporting civil society in cases of natural disasters, as well as in the permanent search for peace and security, which are conditions for the economic and social development of our country.
Likewise, the national and public security operations are being increasingly supported in international cooperation programs.

Mexican dancers with traditional Mexican costumes attracted a lot of warm responses from the guests.

With the republic of Korea, Mexico has maintained military, air force and navy attachés throughout our diplomatic relations, while bilateral military cooperation is increasingly fruitful, as exemplified by the training of Mexican military personnel in the joint center for peacekeeping operations, the participation of high-performance athletes, also military, in training camps here in Korea, or the exchange of intelligence with a strategic approach.
More examples of such relationships are also present in some of the numerous countries with which we maintain close relations of collaboration and friendship, as evidenced by the presence of all of you, ladies and gentlemen, military, naval and air force attachés, on this occasion.
Mr. General, ladies and gentlemen:
As diplomatic representative of Mexico in the republic of Korea, I invite you to toast for the loyalty and institutional commitment of those who make up the army and the air force, guarantors of independence and sovereignty in an atmosphere of increasing international cooperation. Cheers!

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