On the 29th, the 70th Anniversary Ceremony of the 'Nogeunri Incident' Held in Yeongdong, Chungbuk

Yeongdong Nogeunri Peace Park.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] To mark the 70th anniversary of the tragic 'Nogeunri Incident' that occurred during the Korean War, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety will hold a commemorative ceremony at 10 a.m. on the 29th at Nogeunri Peace Park in Yeongdong-gun, Chungbuk, with the attendance of victims' families and others.

The Nogeunri Incident refers to the event in July 1950 when hundreds of villagers fleeing through the Gyeongbu Line railroad (Ssanggul Bridge) in Nogeunri, Hwanggan-myeon, Yeongdong-gun, were killed by U.S. troops. The government began a fact-finding investigation in 1999, enacted the 'Nogeunri Incident Special Act' in 2004, and formed a Victims Review and Honor Restoration Committee including representatives of the bereaved families.

The committee identified 226 victims and about 2,200 bereaved family members in two phases in 2005 and 2008, and provided medical support funds amounting to 478 million won to 36 individuals. In 2011, a peace park was established on approximately 40,000 pyeong around the Ssanggul Bridge site. Every year, this location hosts events such as a joint memorial service led by the bereaved families' association, human rights essay contests linked to local festivals, and youth camps, helping to soothe the pain of the past war and raise awareness of the importance of peace.

This year's 70th anniversary ceremony will begin with a shamanistic ritual dance by Park Sun-young, a holder of the intangible cultural asset of Salpuri, followed by wreath-laying and incense offering by key figures, reading of memorial speeches, and commemorative performances. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun will deliver a video tribute, followed by eulogies from guests including Minister Jin Young of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, commemorative videos and performances, and a visit to the Ssanggul Bridge site.

Along with the ceremony this year, related materials will be exhibited in a traveling exhibition in Seoul, Gwangju, Jeju, and other locations. At the end of the year, commemorative events such as a memorial concert and an international academic conference involving domestic and international human rights and peace experts will also be held.

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