'We will defend freedom, democracy': Korean War UN Veterans Day celebrated in Seoul

Soldiers lift the flags of 22 nations that fought for South Korea during the Korean War during the celebration of the Korean War U.N. Veterans Day at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

By Jung Min-ho

South Koreans honored the sacrifices of the heroes who fought under the flag of the United Nations Command during the Korean War (1950-53) as they celebrated the Korean War U.N. Veterans Day in Seoul, Wednesday.

“Korea was a country barely known 72 years ago. Many did not know where it was. Yet, 1.95 million soldiers from 22 countries came here under the United Nations Command's flag and fought for this country,” Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said in a speech during the ceremony at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza. “To this day, North Korea has not stopped its provocation, threatening the security on the Korean Peninsula … We will protect the security through the strong U.S.-South Korea alliance and defense capabilities.”

Protecting freedom and democracy, which the veterans fought to defend, is now the way to honor their sacrifices, he added.

During the event held on the 69th anniversary of the end of the war, musical bands from the Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Eighth Army jointly performed the traditional Korean song of “Arirang,” which was played for the U.N. delegation that signed the armistice.

By the time the agreement was reached, more than 37,000 troops from the U.N. Command were killed, 9,767 missing and 103,460 injured, according to the National Archives of Korea. South Korean military casualties amounted to 137,899 killed, 450,742 injured and 32,838 missing or captured.

Veterans Affairs Minister Park Min-shik, who did not attend the ceremony as he was visiting Washington due to the completion of a Korean War memorial monument, expressed his gratitude in a statement: “We will remember the great promise of the war veterans who tried to safeguard the freedom of the Republic of Korea.”

British Lt. Gen. Andrew Harrison, deputy commander of the U.N. Command, appreciated the Korean people and the nations that came to their aid.

“Since that day 69 years ago ― through danger, dispute and provocation ― nothing has been more tested than the armistice agreement,” Harrison said.

”It has underpinned the world's commitment to peace and the ROK-U.S. alliance. Now, we will not falter. We are stronger together. We are all proud to stand with you.”

War veterans and government officials celebrate the 69th anniversary of what they claim to be victory in the Korean War at the 8th National Conference of War Veterans in Pyongyang, Tuesday. Yonhap

North Korea celebrates anniversary of 'victory' in Korean War

North Korea also held a national conference for war veterans Tuesday to celebrate the 69th anniversary of what it claims is its victory in the Korean War.

According to Wednesday's report by the Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang's official mouthpiece, the 8th National Conference of War Veterans took place in the capital to honor them for “winning” the conflict against South Korea and the U.N. Command.

War veterans and members of the presidium of the political bureau, including Jo Yong-won and Choe Ryong-hae, attended the event.

In a statement, the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party said “the war is not over yet in this land.”

“The revolutionary path that we have chosen to take, which should be inherited by the next generation, accompanies confrontation with imperialism,” it said.

North Korea held the first conference of war veterans in 1993 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the armistice. It has taken place seven times since Kim Jong-un took power in late 2011.

The same day, John Kirby, a spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, said the North appears to be ready to conduct its seventh nuclear test.

“I won't speculate about the timing here, or what that can look like,” he said during a virtual press briefing. “We are obviously going to watch this very, very closely for any possibility of a nuclear test.”