Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
Busan UN Week to honor Korean War veterans, promote global peace
The main poster for Busan UN Week / Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan Government
By Jung Da-hyun
Busan will host UN Week from Thursday, marking United Nations Day, until Nov. 11, which is the International Memorial Day for U.N. Korean War Veterans, to honor those who served in the 1950-53 Korean War.
The event, organized by Busan Metropolitan City and Busan Global City Foundation (BGCF), began in 2019 to solidify Busan’s status as a global city of peace. As the only city in the world with a U.N. Memorial Cemetery, Busan aims to elevate its role in international peacebuilding.
This year, eight organizations, including the Busan Foundation for International Cooperation (BFIC), the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Busan Office and the United Nations Peace Memorial Hall, will participate in the event. A total of 21 programs will be featured, divided into two segments — a week of gratitude and a week of remembrance.
The week of gratitude will feature a series of events honoring veterans who defended freedom during the Korean War, including a ceremony marking the 79th United Nations Day, the Peace Light Illumination event and the third series of The Stories of Korean War Heroes.
This mobile-based interactive program, which gained popularity with younger generations and families last year, returns with new content. It will be held every weekend at the U.N. Memorial Cemetery until Nov. 10, offering free participation for up to 1,000 attendees.
During the remembrance week, several key events will pay tribute to the fallen soldiers who gave their lives for peace. These include the World Peace Forum, the walking competition called U.N. Peace Road Walk and the Turn Toward Busan international memorial ceremony for U.N. Korean War veterans.
One of the highlights of this year’s program is the World Peace Forum, scheduled for Nov. 1 at Nurimaru APEC House. Reflecting the growing global tensions and conflicts, the forum will explore the theme "A World Without War: Strategies for Global Peace and Cooperation."
International journalists and NGO representatives will participate in a special discussion, delivering compelling messages on the importance of peace to the people of Busan.
Further information can be found on the official UN Week website.
"We will continue to expand UN Week, centered around the U.N. Memorial Cemetery, to solidify Busan’s reputation as a global peace city," Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon said.
"Our goal is to help future generations understand the importance of peace and international solidarity."