Yeonpyeong Naval Battle Veteran Im Gap-jong Says "Comrades' Eyes Vivid"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] "I still cannot forget the sparkling eyes of my comrades on that day."

This is the statement of retired Sergeant Im Gap-jong (then Staff Sergeant), who participated in the First Battle of Yeonpyeong 21 years ago today. Im, who runs a private business in Changwon, is a veteran of the First Battle of Yeonpyeong. At the time, Sergeant Im was aboard the Chamsuri 325 patrol boat led by Captain Ahn Ji-young (then Captain). Im was assigned as the gunner of the forward 40mm cannon on the bow, allowing him to see the enemy more closely than anyone else.

Im recalled, "When we set sail, the words of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, '必死則生 必生則死 (If you must die, you will live; if you must live, you will die),' kept coming to mind," adding, "I had nothing but the will to win the battle through training and mental preparation."

Upon arriving at the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea, the atmosphere was tense. It was a hair-trigger situation. When the Battle of Yeonpyeong broke out, the fighting became fierce. Im said, "Once the battle started, without anyone telling me, my body moved automatically as trained, and I gained confidence."

However, he had to witness the injuries of his comrades firsthand due to the North Korean army's preemptive attack. At that time, Captain Ahn was hit four times in the left chest by enemy fire while conducting a so-called "pushing" collision operation with North Korean vessels and retreating. Fortunately, he survived thanks to his bulletproof vest. Our navy suffered minor damage to two vessels and nine personnel sustained minor injuries. Thanks to the efforts of Chamsuri 325, the North Korean navy lost one torpedo boat (Shinheung-class, 40 tons) sunk, one patrol boat (Sanghae-class, 150 tons) partially sunk and towed away, and four vessels including a Daecheong-class (420 tons) patrol boat suffered severe damage to the engine room and hull.

Five years after participating in the First Battle of Yeonpyeong, Im was discharged and said, "The battle strengthened my mental combat power," explaining, "The most important thing was that everyone on board felt how precious and reliable the comrade next to them was in the life-or-death battlefield."

Meanwhile, the navy held a commemorative ceremony on this day at the Navy 2nd Fleet Headquarters in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, marking the 21st anniversary of the victory in the First Battle of Yeonpyeong and reaffirming their determination to protect the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea. The ceremony was presided over by the 2nd Fleet Commander and attended by about 150 people, including veterans of the First Battle of Yeonpyeong, service members, and civilian employees.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.