President Moon Jae-in urged national integration and unity Wednesday, calling them keys to a successful democracy.

The call came in a ceremony marking the second anniversary of the death of former President Kim Young-sam.

"Today, I look on the instructions left by the president, which are integration and unity," Moon said in the ceremony held at the national cemetery in Seoul.

"As the president said, I will not forget the fact that what drives the Republic of Korea toward a new future is the integration of the unity of the people," he added.

Kim was the first person without a military background to be elected president in a free and direct presidential election, marking the start of what many people view as the first true civilian government. He served as president between 1993 and 1998.

"There have been many political leaders who fought against dictatorship and injustice to walk the path of democracy to date. The name Kim Young-sam stands tall and bright even among such leaders," President Moon said.

"The value and meaning left by the civilian government in our history of democracy will never be undermined or disparaged," he added. (Yonhap)