Fallen Korean War soldier receives posthumous high school diploma

Park Duk-won and his tomb at the National Cemetery. / Courtesy of Kyungnam High School

By Park Si-soo

Park Duk-won, a soldier who died during the 1950-53 Korean War, received a posthumous high school diploma on Tuesday.

Kyungnam High School said it had awarded the honorary diploma to Park's younger sister during its 73th graduation ceremony, formally recognizing Park as its graduate.

It happened 69 years after Park perished in a bloody battle between South Korean and North Korean troops near Jangjin reservoir in December 1950 and two months after the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs recognized him as a person of national merit.

Park voluntarily joined the armed forces on Aug. 6, 1950, after quitting the school, according to the ministry.

His belated recognition was due to a lack of documents verifying the identity of his body that had been buried in the National Cemetery's section for unknown soldiers for years.

“We are honored to award the diploma to our proud graduate who sacrificed himself for the country,” Jung Dae-ho, principal of Kyungnam, said.

In the ceremony, Park's family donated 5 million won ($4,500) to the school.