SEOUL - The Republic of Korea's (ROK) President Lee Myung-bak on Monday urged Japan to teach its future generations a correct history.

Lee made the call during his speech on the country's National Liberation Day marking the end of Japan's colonial rule on the Korean peninsula in 1945.

South Korea "has all along striven to maintain mature relations with Japan," Lee said. For the sake of the future relationship, South Korea will not be bound by the unfortunate past, but at the same time, its people can never forget the history, Lee added.

"Japan has a responsibility to teach its future generations the truth about what happened in the past," so as to allow young people in both countries to forge ahead into the new era with a correct recognition and understanding of history, Lee said.  

"This kind of cooperation will greatly contribute to the peace and prosperity of the world as well as Northeast Asia," Lee noted.

On the inter-Korean ties, Lee said the reunification is the greatest issue to ROK.

"Over the past 60 years, the South and North have lived in conflict. Now is the time to overcome it and open up an age of peace and cooperation," Lee said.

"To this end, it is incumbent for the two sides to build up mutual trust with responsible deeds and a sincere stance," the president said.

"Nothing can be accomplished through provocations," Lee said, noting that "the two sides should bring about peace based on mutual trust, pursuing common prosperity through bilateral cooperation."  

Lee said humanitarian assistance for children in DPRK will continue, and humanitarian support to help it recover from natural disasters will also be continuously carried out.