Latest news with #MinistryofPatriotsandVeteransAffairs
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Morocco marks Throne Day, touts strategic momentum with Korea
Morocco on Wednesday touted strategic momentum in its bilateral ties with South Korea as it marked Throne Day, commemorating the 26th anniversary of King Mohammed VI succeeding his father, King Hassan II. Speaking at a commemorative event, Moroccan Ambassador to Korea Chafik Rachadi hailed his country's macroeconomic stability, a 55 percent rise in foreign direct investment in 2024, and the emergence of Morocco as Africa's largest car producer and a major player in the aerospace industry. 'Over 40 percent of our electricity comes from renewables, and Morocco is investing heavily in solar, wind and green hydrogen projects, aiming to reach 52 percent renewable capacity by 2030,' said Rachadi. He noted the expansion of Moroccan-Korean ties, recalling that Korea's first African embassy was established in Morocco and highlighting Morocco's support for South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War. Rachadi also paid special tribute to the two Moroccan soldiers who were killed during the war. According to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the two Moroccan soldiers were Mohamed El Asry, who died from chest wounds near Wonju in March 1951, and Julien Djian, who was killed in action in July 1953, shortly before the signing of the Armistice Agreement. They were among the Moroccan soldiers who first arrived in Korea as part of the volunteer section of the French Battalion under the UN, deployed to support South Korea, according to the Moroccan Embassy in Seoul. 'Two of those heroes are now peacefully resting in the UN Memorial Cemetery in Busan, a dignified reminder of the human connections,' said Rachadi. The ambassador's residence in Seoul has two mugunghwa trees, Korea's national flower, planted in their honor. Seoul and Rabat established diplomatic relations in July 1962. The ambassador also pointed to the April 2025 launch of negotiations for the Morocco-Korea Economic Partnership Agreement and joint preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, citing these efforts as broader strategic momentum. He thanked Chung Keeyong, Korea's ambassador and deputy minister for climate change, who was recently honored by the King of Morocco with the Order of Wissam Alaouite at the rank of Commander. Chung's contribution included the identification of Moroccan war veterans and the publication of a book titled 'Morocco-Korea: Blood Brothers.' 'We were also able to identify 16 additional Moroccan soldiers, bringing the known total to 24 ... so that Korea may express its enduring gratitude — not only in archives but through human connection,' said Chung in his remarks. Reflecting on meeting one of the veterans' daughters, Chung said, 'Her father's sacrifice is not forgotten but cherished. 'Their courage, offered in a time of Korea's greatest need, has forever linked our nations — not just as partners, but as 'freres de sang,'" he said. Freres de sang is French for "blood brothers." As examples of momentum, Chung cited Korea's solidarity during Morocco's 1975 Green March, uncovered through archival research; joint initiatives such as $100 million in development aid; a reforestation project in Ouarzazate; green hydrogen programs; and a $1.5 billion electric train deal. The Green March is seen as a landmark moment in Morocco's recent history toward securing the Kingdom's territorial integrity. The demonstration paved the way for the Madrid Accords signed on November 14, 1975, which formally ended nearly 100 years of Spanish control over the region. Chung also noted that Morocco's gross domestic product has nearly tripled, and its 2017 return to the African Union and 2022 ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area have reinforced its role as a bridge between Africa, Europe and the Arab world. 'From the trenches of the Korean War to the sands of the Green March ... Morocco and Korea have always shown up for each other,' concluded Chung. sanjaykumar@
![[Contribution] Names we must never forget](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F07%2F24%2Fnews-a.v1.20250724.948793676b2947b0989a2cd4209072c0_T1.png&w=3840&q=100)
Korea Herald
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
[Contribution] Names we must never forget
By Jeong Ji-hyun In June 1950, the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War turned the entire peninsula into a battlefield. Yet in that desperate momeant, Korea was not alone. Young soldiers, from 16 combatant nations and six countries who sent medical support, united under the United Nations flag, answered the call to defend a distant land in the name of freedom. Despite differences in language and culture, their noble sacrifice laid the foundation for the peace and freedom we cherish today. To honor their noble service and sacrifice, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs of Republic of Korea has designated July 27 — the day the Korean War armistice agreement was signed in 1953 — as UN Forces Participation Day since 2010. Every year, an official ceremony is held to commemorate and honor UN troops who fought fearlessly by our side, ensuring that that their names are not forgotten, but remembered with dignity and gratitude and to remind us that freedom is not something we given freely but something we secured at great cost. The ministry spares no effort to assure that these valiant heroes are not left behind in history; strengthening ties with UN allies, maintaining national cemeteries and memorials across the country and expanding support for veterans so that our gratitude and respect reaches them in meaningful ways. Especially, in 2023, to mark the 70th anniversary of the armistice, the ministry produced and distributed specially designed symbolic uniforms for Korean War Veterans. These uniforms served as a visible expression of nationwide respect and gratitude so that our veterans are remembered not only in official ceremonies, but in the everlyday lives of our people. Yet no matter how well-prepared these policies or programs may be, the true meaning of honoring patriotic heroes carries on only through the remembrance and gratitude of our people. A single flower placed at a memorial, a respectful bow to veterans, a sincere word of thanks: These small gestures keep alive the names and stories of these heroes and sustain the spirit of the nation. As July 27 — UN Forces Participation Day — approaches, I hope we all take a moment to remember that peace we cherish today is never given freely. Across the country, numerous memorials and cemeteries have been established to honor the service and sacrifice of UN forces who fought during the Korean War. These sacred sites — including the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan — stand as lasting tributes to the heroes who gave their lives for a country not their own. These sites offer a space to reflect, remember and give thanks. A visit to these UN forces related places is more than a symbolic gesture. It is an act of remembrance that reaffirms our gratitude. Let us strive to be a country that remembers its veterans not as anonymous figures, but as individuals with names, stories and everlasting legacies. This is the path we must walk together to make a true culture of honoring and the promise we must uphold together. Jeong Ji-hyun is an assistant director of the veterans affairs division at the Seoul Regional Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. The Seoul Regional Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs is affiliated with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and is responsible for veterans affairs in 12 districts in Seoul. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own. — Ed.
Korea Herald
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Korea Herald
Daejeon announced as host contender for 2029 Invictus Games
South Korea's central city of Daejeon was officially announced as one of the six world cities that would compete to host the 2029 Invictus Games, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs said Wednesday. The city, located some 135 kilometers south of Seoul, was shortlisted by the Invictus Games Foundation alongside Aalborg, Denmark; Veneto Region, Italy; Abuja, Nigeria; Kyiv, Ukraine; and San Diego. Daejeon is home to the country's second National Cemetery and a veterans hospital and has infrastructures such as a sports stadium, a convention center and accommodations needed for hosting the Games, according to the veterans ministry. South Korea is the only Asian country to have submitted Expressions of Interest to host the 2029 event. If the 2029 event is held in Daejeon, it would mark the first-ever Invictus Games in Asia. 'The veterans ministry will cooperate with the city of Daejeon and the Korea Disabled Veterans Organization in making efforts to host the 2029 Invictus Games, which is a place of challenge and harmony for veterans, for the first time in Asia,' Veterans Minister Kang Jung-ai said in a statement. The host city will be officially selected and announced in the summer of 2026, the ministry said. South Korea has participated in the Games since 2020, when the event was held in the Netherlands' western city of The Hague. This year's Invictus Games were held in Vancouver, Canada, Feb. 6-17. More than 550 athletes from 23 countries, including 11 South Korean nationals, participated in this year's event. Founded by Britain's Prince Harry in 2014, the Invictus Games is a multinational sports competition for wounded, injured and sick service members. It became a biennial event in 2023 after being held irregularly.
Korea Herald
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Gwangju Uprising memorial sees spike in visitors: report
May visitors to May 18th National Cemetery reach highest figure since 2018 A total of 242,503 people in May visited the graves of those who participated in the Gwangju Democratic Uprising in 1980, according to local media reports on Tuesday. The monthly visitor count at the May 18th National Cemetery was the highest since 2018 and marked an on-year increase of over 40,000 from to May 2024, the Korean-language news agency News 1 said, citing the operators of the government facility under the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. The number of visitors usually peaks in May around the anniversary of the nationwide protest against Chun Doo-hwan's junta, which took power via a military coup in December 1979. The highest figures for any other month in 2025 and 2024 were 12,287 in April this year, and 11,202 in April last year. The number of May visitors had usually exceeded 300,000 prior to 2019 but hovered in the 200,000 range over the past three years, plummeting to 5,822 in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The political turmoil following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's imposition of martial law in December is thought to have renewed public interest in the historic citizens' protest against the military regime. Yoon's martial law decree, which led to his impeachment and removal from office, was the first to be imposed in the country since 1981, under Chun's authority. Chun was not yet president when martial law was extended nationwide on May 18, 1980, but he had effectively been leader of the junta since the coup a year before. Yoon's much-disputed martial law declaration led to comparisons with Chun. The results of the June 3 presidential election showed that 84.8 percent of voters in Gwangju voted for Yoon's political rival and eventual successor, Lee Jae-myung, who also garnered over 80 percent of the vote in both North and South Jeolla Provinces. Lee himself drew a comparison between Yoon and Chun at a commemoration of the Gwangju Uprising's 45th anniversary last month, when he attended as a presidential candidate. He said the spirit of the Gwangju citizens that refused to back down in the face of military oppression in 1980 has been inherited by those who opposed the dispatch of troops to the National Assembly under Yoon's martial law decree. Those who have been recognized by the state as having died while participating in the Gwangju Uprising are entitled to be buried at the May 18th National Cemetery, in accordance with the Act on the Honorable Treatment of Persons of Distinguished Service to the May 18 Democratization Movement. Those who have relinquished their Korean nationality or have been convicted of certain crimes can have their burial rights revoked.
Hans India
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
S Korea: Acting Prez Han calls for efforts to upgrade democracy amid speculation on presidential bid
Seoul: South Korean Acting President Han Duck-soo called for efforts to achieve a "more mature democracy" in South Korea on Saturday amid growing speculation he may announce a bid to run in the upcoming presidential election. "We will work to realise a more mature democracy to faithfully transmit to our future generations the values of liberal democracy, upheld by the April 19 civil revolt," Han said in a congratulatory message at the national breakfast prayer meeting celebrating the 1960 pro-democracy movement. Han's message was read by Lee Hee-wan, the deputy minister of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. "I hope South Korea becomes a country that leads the world in all areas of politics, economy and society by uniting the hearts of all people," he said. Han's message came amid speculation the acting president could be a potential game changer for the conservative camp in the June election to be held to pick a new leader after former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's ouster over his failed martial law decree. Han has declined to comment on his possible candidacy for the election. "The April 19 revolution is a shining source of pride for us that marked a milestone in the history of democracy, not only for South Korea but for the world," he said, mentioning the historic event's inscription on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. UNESCO approved the inscription of the April 19 revolution archives in its register in 2023. The April 19 revolution was touched off by public anger over vote rigging in the presidential election by the Rhee Syng-man government in power at the time, Yonhap news agency reported. A series of nationwide student protests culminated on April 19, with hundreds of demonstrators killed or wounded in clashes with armed police. The uprising ultimately forced Rhee to step down after 12 years in office. The liberal Democratic Party (DP) strongly criticised Han amid speculation about his potential run for the presidency, accusing him of "shamelessly testing the waters" for a run. DP spokesperson Rep. Hwang Jung-ah said in a written briefing, "The people will judge acting President Han, who has made the state affairs a tool for personal ambition." Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, a contender in the presidential candidate primary of the People Power Party, also urged Han to abandon such a bid, saying, "It is time for us to regain our composure and choose a candidate who can truly defeat Lee Jae-myung," referring to the leading DP candidate.
