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| President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Kun Hee pay their respects to fallen soldiers of the Korean War during a visit to the U.N. Memorial Cemetery in Busan, Thursday. Yonhap |
Resting place remains symbol of 'fight for freedom and peace,' minister says
By Jung Min-ho
President Yoon Suk Yeol and delegates from 22 nations visited the United Nations (U.N.) Memorial Cemetery in Busan, Thursday, where they paid tribute to fallen heroes and marked the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement that halted the 1950-53 Korean War.
Yoon and other visitors, including war veterans, paid their respects to the sacrifices of those who died while fighting for South Korea under the same U.N. flag against communist forces, in front of the Wall of Remembrance, which carries the names of more than 40,000 United Nations casualties.
The cemetery ― the only one officially recognized by the U.N. ― is the resting place for some 2,300 freedom fighters from 11 countries.
Among the visitors was New Zealand Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, who honored the country's 34 soldiers buried there. The country sent 3,794 troops and six ships to South Korea during the war. Its 16th Field Regiment of the Royal Regiment played a major role in winning the historic battle of Gapyeong.
Also, there was Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. After the breakout of the conflict, the country decided to dispatch 110 troops in its first such decision since its founding in 1815. Of them, two died and 17 were injured.
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| A veteran of the Korean War wipes away tears during a visit to the U.N. Memorial Cemetery in Busan, Thursday. Newsis |
Before and during the group visit, many of the war veterans visited the cemetery to lay flowers on the graves of their former brothers-in-arms who fell fighting alongside them. Some showed tears as they saw the names for the first time in decades.
Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-shik said the place remains a symbol of the "fight for freedom and peace."
"I'm deeply touched by the time I spent with the representatives as we honored the heroes and reflected on what they did at the U.N. Memorial Cemetery," he said. "The South Korean government and its people will remember their great dedication and noble spirit of sacrifice forever."
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| A veteran of the Korean War visits the U.N. Memorial Cemetery in Busan, Thursday. Newsis |
Their visit came a day after the remains of seven South Korean soldiers killed in the conflict were returned to Korea from Hawaii as they were initially thought to be U.S. soldiers.
During the ceremony held at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, Yoon addressed the family of Pfc. Choi Im-rak, who served as a KATUSA member, and promised to honor the sacrifice of every hero of the war. Choi was among those killed during the Battle of Lake Changjin, the war's fiercest and most brutal campaign in which the first direct military clash between the U.S. and China took place.
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