Latest news with #UNForcesParticipationDay
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Saluting the sacrifice of UNC veterans
Five foreign veterans of the United Nations Command who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War were greeted with a standing ovation from a crowd of over 1,000 at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, where a ceremony was held to mark UN Forces Participation Day, observed annually on July 27. The national day of remembrance to honor the sacrifices and contributions of UN veterans also marks the date when the armistice agreement was signed to halt the Korean War in 1953. Throughout the three-year conflict, more than 1.9 million personnel from 22 countries served under the UNC flag, providing combat, medical and logistical support. During the ceremony, the South Korean government posthumously presented the Order of Taegeuk Military Merit, the country's highest military honor, to the late US veteran Fred McGee. From January to November 1952, McGee served in the US Army as a private first class with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok entered the venue pushing the wheelchair of a veteran who had difficulty walking. 'Our alliance has grown stronger, and together we will continue moving toward a future of peace and prosperity,' Kim said during his speech. 'Despite the sacrifices made by the UN forces and our own efforts 75 years ago, the pain of division still lingers,' he added, pledging to expand scholarship programs and exchange camps for the descendants of Korean War veterans.
![[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
6 days ago
- 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
7 days ago
- General
- Korea Herald
Seoul to host UNC veterans, families to pay tribute to Korean War service
Veterans of the United Nations Command forces who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War and their families are to visit South Korea at the invitation of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the ministry said Wednesday. The visit, scheduled from Thursday to Monday, is part of a commemoration of the UN Forces Participation Day, observed annually on July 27. A total of 55 participants are attending, including six veterans, 21 bereaved family members and 26 leaders of veterans associations from the 15 countries that participated in the war under the UNC flag. Throughout the three-year conflict, more than 1.9 million personnel from 22 countries served under the UNC flag, providing combat, medical and logistical support. As part of the event, the South Korean government will posthumously award the country's highest military honor, the Order of Taegeuk Military Merit, to the late US veteran Fred McGee. Then a US Army Pfc. McGee served from January to November 1952 as a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Even after his squad withdrew, McGee remained behind to assist in evacuating the wounded and dead bodies, according to the ministry. His daughter Victoria Seacrest is visiting Korea on his behalf, as McGee passed away in 2020 at the age of 89. Among the veterans visiting is 97-year-old Harold Simlak, the oldest in the group. He served from April to December 1951 as a US Army private first class in the 1st Cavalry Division and fought in the Battle of Hill 328 near Waegwan-eup, North Gyeongsang Province. Other visiting veterans include two Americans: Malcolm Williamson, who served from December 1950 to October 1954 as a petty officer aboard the USS Thompson, and Roy Hakuo Yamashiroya, who served from March to July 1953 as a private first class in the 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division of the US Marine Corps. Also attending are Clifford Pearson from the United Kingdom, who served from March 1953 to August 1956 as a sergeant in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers; Alphonse Martel from Canada, who served from November 1952 to November 1953 as a private in the Royal 22nd Regiment; and Estifanos Yimam from Ethiopia, who served in 1954 at guard posts along the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone. The ministry has also invited 94-year-old South Korean Lim Chang-soo, who sheltered US Army Master Sgt. Ralph Kilpatrick for 77 days after he was separated from his unit during a retreat from the Geumgang defensive line in Daejeon in 1950. Lim will be presented with a plaque of appreciation. 'The government and the people will always remember and honor the sacrifice and dedication of the heroes who risked their lives to defend the Republic of Korea,' said Veterans Minister Kang Jung-ai. 'Through a range of international veteran support programs, Korea will continue to strengthen its solidarity with the countries that contributed troops to the United Nations Command,' she added.
