The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Major webtoon platforms' fight against piracy

  • 3

    Samsung unveils new Galaxy S23 smartphone

  • 5

    Pyongyang threatens eye-for-eye response as US B-1B bombers join drills in South Korea

  • 7

    Police to introduce new measures to better handle intoxicated people

  • 9

    Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate'

  • 11

    Girl group NewJeans sweeps top 3 spots on Melon's monthly chart for Jan.

  • 13

    Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth'

  • 15

    Gov't announces measures to cope with shortage of surgeons

  • 17

    INTERVIEWUS-NK summit is unlikely in 2023: Korea Society

  • 19

    INTERVIEWIMF expects no recession for Korean economy

  • 2

    Seoul city council under fire for sexual conduct guidelines for teachers

  • 4

    ENHYPEN-inspired webtoon 'Dark Moon: The Blood Altar' surpasses 100 million views

  • 6

    INTERVIEWA touch of authenticity in Korea's Mexican cuisine scene

  • 8

    Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars

  • 10

    Korean iPhone users lose 'batterygate' lawsuit

  • 12

    Woman in mysterious child death case gets suspended prison term in retrial

  • 14

    INTERVIEW'Extended deterrence is best option to ensure peace on Korean Peninsula'

  • 16

    Korea to root out 'jeonse scam,' support victims

  • 18

    Seoul, US hold combined air drills, involving B-1B bomber, F-22, F-35 stealth fighters

  • 20

    Itaewon tragedy's bereaved families harassed by far-right protesters

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, February 4, 2023 | 08:01
-------------------------
57% of 20-Somethings Ignorant of Korean War
Posted : 2009-06-24 18:35
Updated : 2009-06-24 18:35
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

Fifty-nine years after the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, nearly four in 10 South Koreans aren't familiar with the tragic fratricidal war, according to a recent survey.

A survey of 1,000 adults over 19, conducted by the Ministry of Public Administration and Security (MPAS) in April, showed that 36.9 percent of respondents said they didn't know when the Korean War had broken out.

By age, 56.6 percent of those in their 20s said they didn't know when the war had occurred, while 28.7 percent of those in their 30s and 23 percent of those in their 40s said the same thing, it said.

``This is a very serious problem that more and more people, especially youngsters, are not well aware of or not interested in the Korean War, where millions of South Koreans were killed,'' an official of the Ministry of National Defense said. ``Pan-governmental efforts are required to make people understand properly about the Korean War and, in particular, educate youngsters about the war and history.''

The official referred to a survey last year, suggesting that more than 35 percent of elementary school students misunderstood that the Korean War had broken out following the South's invasion into the North.

The war broke out on June 25, 1950, when North Korean troops invaded the South, crossing the 38th parallel, the line diving the two Koreas. Twenty-one countries dispatched troops under the United Nations flag to fight against North Koreans backed by China.

The war resulted in a devastating death toll with at least 2 million Korean civilians killed, according to data. South Korea sustained more than 1 million casualties, while estimated communist casualties were 2 million. Casualties among the United Nations allies totaled 16,532.

The war ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. The two Koreas remain technically at war.

Cyber Education

In a step toward promoting information about the war, an ad hoc organization of the MND is preparing to open a Web site on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the war next year.

``The envisaged Web site, carrying all information on the Korean War, will help people here and abroad learn and understand the war easier and better,'' Brig. Gen. Oh Sang-taeg, general director of the Korean War 60th Anniversary Office, said in a phone interview with The Korea Times.

The office will begin establishing the ``online war memorial'' site as early as beginning August, Oh said.

He said the Web site would model after a French war memorial in which people can get detailed information about war veterans and major battles.

The office is also preparing to hold various events to promote the background and history of the Korean War next year to mark the 60th anniversary of the war, he added.

War Remains Recovery

Efforts to recover the remains of fallen heroes are in full swing.

Since 2000, the remains of about 39,000 soldiers killed in the war have been excavated.

The figure represents only 2.3 percent of the total number of those missing in action, as about 130,000 South Korean soldiers are believed to still be buried across the Korean Peninsula.

According to the defense ministry's Agency for Killed in Action Recovery and Identification (MAKRI), about 60 percent of the missing in action are buried in the South, while some 30 percent are in the North and the remainder are believed to be buried in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas.

``Recovering the remains of our fallen heroes and returning them to their families are our solemn duty,'' Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee said in a speech at a ceremony Wednesday to deliver remains of U.N. soldiers killed in the war to the United Nations Command (UNC) in Seoul. The ceremony was held at the Yongsan Garrison where the UNC headquarters is located.

``We'll not stop this recovery work until the remains of the last war veteran are retrieved,'' Lee said.

Last month, officials at MAKRI, launched in 2003, and a team of the U.S. Joint Prisoners of War, Missing in Action and Accounting Command (JPAC) began joint recovery work for the first time in Gangwon Province.

About 8,100 U.S. soldiers remain unaccounted for from the war, according to the MAKRI.

Earlier this year, MAKRI opened its new headquarters at the National Cemetery in Seoul with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment for identifying war remains such as a digital X-ray imager, 3D scanner and DNA sampling instruments.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr
 
Top 10 Stories
1Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars
2Itaewon tragedy's bereaved families harassed by far-right protestersItaewon tragedy's bereaved families harassed by far-right protesters
3Plan to construct new memorial center for ex-president faces backlash Plan to construct new memorial center for ex-president faces backlash
4Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications
5Able C&C sale attracts dozens of potential buyers Able C&C sale attracts dozens of potential buyers
6First lady expands presence in domestic politics First lady expands presence in domestic politics
7FSC OKs Apple Pay to be available in Korea FSC OKs Apple Pay to be available in Korea
8K bank decides to delay IPO plan K bank decides to delay IPO plan
9SEMICON Korea defies chip industry downturn SEMICON Korea defies chip industry downturn
10Gov't to provide $293 billion in trade financing to revitalize exports Gov't to provide $293 billion in trade financing to revitalize exports
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Major webtoon platforms' fight against piracy Major webtoon platforms' fight against piracy
2ENHYPEN-inspired webtoon 'Dark Moon: The Blood Altar' surpasses 100 million views ENHYPEN-inspired webtoon 'Dark Moon: The Blood Altar' surpasses 100 million views
3Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate' Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate'
4Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth' Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth'
5'Ant-Man 3' promises bigger, better action with same family dynamic: cast 'Ant-Man 3' promises bigger, better action with same family dynamic: cast
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group