Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Will Biden attend Korean War monument event?
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a virtual meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., Monday (local time). Biden expressed hope that he could return to work in person this week after recovering from COVID-19, as the question arises as to whether he will attend Wednesday's event marking the completion of a new Korean War memorial monument in Washington. EPA-Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
War of Remembrance to honor fallen US, Korean soldiers
By Jung Min-ho
U.S. President Joe Biden expressed hope Monday (local time) that he could return to work in person this week after recovering from COVID-19, as the question arises as to whether he will attend Wednesday's event marking the completion of a Korean War memorial monument in Washington, D.C.
At the ceremony unveiling the Wall of Remembrance, which will be a permanent addition to the Korean War Veterans Memorial, Veterans Affairs Minister Park Min-shik will read out a message from President Yoon Suk-yeol as the two nations celebrate the 69th anniversary of the end of the 1950-53 war.
In his first public appearance at a virtual meeting since Friday, the day after he was infected, Biden, 79, said he was “feeling great” and hoped to come out of isolation “by the end of this week.”
In theory, Biden can attend the event. Ashish Jha, coordinator of the White House response to COVID-19, said Biden will be able to resume in-person duties if he tests negative for the virus Tuesday ― his fifth day of isolation. However, given that many old military veterans, who are in a high-risk category for COVID-19, will attend the event, Biden may avoid crowded places for a while. U.S. CDC guidelines advise against travel for 10 days.
An official at the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs told The Korea Times that the ministry is preparing for two different scenarios and that if Biden misses the event, it is unclear who will attend from the White House.
Along with Minister Park, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, Rep. Lee Hun-seung of the ruling People Power Party and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won are expected to attend the event. From the U.S. side, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and hundreds of Korean War veterans and their family members are expected to be there.
The Wall of Remembrance displays the names of 43,808 U.S. and South Korean soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War. The latest addition to the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is set to be dedicated on Wednesday. Yonhap
The wall, the latest symbol of the Seoul-Washington alliance, bears the names of 43,808 U.S. and South Korean troops killed during the devastating war, which ended with an armistice.
Park, who paid his respects to the fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, said the names inscribed on the Wall of Remembrance mean that “we will never forget the heroes who dedicated their lives to safeguard free democracy in the Republic of Korea.”
His statement comes at a time when North Korea has completed preparations for its seventh nuclear weapons test. Minister Lee and military experts believe the regime will “very likely” do so as early as later this week. After the monument ceremony, the defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S. will meet to discuss the schedules of joint military drills and deployments of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula.
Veterans Affairs Minister Park Min-shik, left, pays his respects to the fallen heroes of the Korean War at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., Monday (local time). Yonhap
On Sunday, Park visited the home of U.S. Army Col. William Weber in Maryland to pay his respects to the family of the colonel, a decorated Korean War veteran who died in April. There, he gave a nameplate honoring his sacrifice to his widow, Annelie Weber.
The construction of the wall was proposed by a handful of U.S. Congress members in 2011. Weber was one of the leaders behind the efforts for the project, for which the South Korean government offered 26.6 billion won ($20.4 million). Other sponsors include the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation, the Korean Veterans Association and the SK chairman.