The Battle Records of the 6·25 War to Become National Registered Cultural Heritage

'Incheon Palmido Lighthouse,' which guided the Incheon Landing Operation by waterways, is designated as a historic site

Battle records created during the Korean War will be designated as National Registered Cultural Heritage. On the 24th, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced that, marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, five related cultural heritages will be registered or pre-registered as cultural properties or pre-designated as historic sites.

The cultural heritage designated as National Registered Cultural Heritage is the "Korean War Military Records (Army)." These are 7,521 battle records created by the Army Headquarters, corps, divisions, and rear units from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. They contain detailed plans, orders, and instructions specifically issued for battle execution, as well as detailed situation reports and daily logs of battle conditions. An official explained, "They record in detail the fierce battlefields such as Hwasalmori Hill, Baekma Hill, Bloody Ridge, and Baekseoksan Battle, including operational maps, enemy status, battle progress, and troop strength," adding, "These are extremely valuable materials for war history research." The Army, which holds these records, has digitized the "Korean War Military Records (Army)" to commemorate their designation as National Registered Cultural Heritage. They will be made publicly available for the first time on the 25th through the National Library of Korea and the National Assembly Library.

The cultural heritages pre-registered as cultural properties include the "Korean War Military Records (Air Force Combat Wing)," "Modern Era Jinjeon Portraits," and the sheet music for "With the Infantry." The "Korean War Military Records (Air Force Combat Wing)" are artifacts related to the Air Force's 10th Combat Wing. They consist of eight items, including comprehensive reports, flight record notebooks, sortie-marked operation maps, the 10th Wing military diary, pilot sortie logs, and General Kim Young-hwan’s nameplate. These provide a detailed look into the Air Force's operational execution during the Korean War.

The "Modern Era Jinjeon Portraits" are royal paintings symbolizing the legitimacy and authority of the Joseon Dynasty. Four portraits?King Taejo’s portrait (Hongryongpo version), King Wonjong’s portrait, King Sunjo’s portrait, and King Sunjong’s portrait?are grouped together. These works were moved to Busan after the outbreak of the Korean War but were partially damaged by a fire in a storage warehouse shortly after the war. However, parts of the facial features, dragon robes, shoes, dragon throne, and colorful patterns remain well preserved, making them highly valuable in terms of art, scholarship, and history.

The sheet music for "With the Infantry" is an autograph score composed by composer Lee Sang-geun, who fled to Masan during the Korean War and participated as a war correspondent. It is based on the poetry collection of the same name by Yu Chi-hwan. The piece is composed in the form of a cantata featuring orchestra and chorus. An official commented, "It realistically expresses the wartime period, giving it high historical value."

The "Incheon Palmido Lighthouse," the oldest modern-style lighthouse in Korea, has been pre-designated as a historic site. This lighthouse was built in 1903. It became famous for guiding the Allied naval fleet into Incheon during the Incheon Landing Operation in September 1950. An official explained, "It played an important role in guiding waterways during the Incheon Landing Operation, which was a successful stepping stone for recapturing the capital Seoul," adding, "It holds both historical and symbolic value." The Cultural Heritage Administration will collect opinions from various sectors for a month and finalize the historic site designation after review by the Cultural Heritage Committee.

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