Parents of Yeonpyeongdo Fallen Soldiers Become 'Honorary Marines'

The Yeonpyeong Island shelling provocation was an incident in which North Korean forces indiscriminately shelled Yeonpyeong Island on November 23, 2010, in response to South Korea's naval live-fire exercise.

[Asia Economy Military Specialist Yang Nak-gyu]Two Marine parents who lost their sons in the North Korean shelling of Yeonpyeong Island 10 years ago have been named 'Honorary Marines.'

The Marine Corps Command announced on the 23rd that it held the '10th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony for the Battle Hero of the Yeonpyeong Island Shelling' at the National Daejeon National Cemetery.

The parents of the late Sergeant Seo Jeong-woo and Private Moon Gwang-wook, who died in the North Korean shelling provocation on November 23, 2010, were appointed as 'Honorary Marines.' The main figures are Sergeant Seo’s father Seo Rae-il (61) and mother Kim O-bok (60), and Private Moon’s father Moon Young-jo (57) and mother Lee Soon-hee (54). These parents received the Marine Corps’ symbol, the 'eight-cornered hat,' identification tags (red name tags), and honorary Marine certificates from Marine Corps Commander Lee Seung-do.

The parents will be invited to major Marine Corps events in the future to encourage the younger Marines to fulfill the dreams their sons could not achieve.

At the honorary Marine appointment ceremony, Commander Lee Seung-do said, "As the commander of the Yeonpyeong unit at the time, I have never forgotten this day 10 years ago and will never forget it," adding, "The noble sacrifice and dedication of the two fallen Marines will be deeply engraved in the hearts and souls of all Marines and remembered as 'eternal Marines' in the history of the Marine Corps."

The memorial ceremony, presided over by Minister of National Defense Seo Wook, was attended by the bereaved families of the two fallen soldiers, veterans, active-duty soldiers, Navy Chief of Staff Bu Seok-jong, Marine Corps Commander Lee Seung-do, Army Chief of Staff Nam Young-shin, former Marine Corps commanders, Bradley James, Commander of the U.S. Marine Corps in Korea, Lee Nam-woo, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Min Hong-chul, Chairman of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, defense committee members, local officials, and about 100 others who paid tribute to the deceased.

Sergeant Seo’s mother, Kim O-bok, moved the attendees by reading a memorial letter filled with longing for her son who left early. Starting with "To my beloved sons Jeong-woo and Gwang-wook," Kim said in the letter, "The excited phone call around noon 10 years ago today, saying 'Mom, I’m finally going on leave,' is still vivid at this moment," and added, "You are still remembered as 22 and 20 years old in our parents’ hearts, and these have been 10 years of pain and injustice," as tears welled up in her eyes.

On November 23, 2010, North Korea fired more than 170 shells, including 76.2mm field guns and 122mm multiple rocket launchers, at Yeonpyeong Island and surrounding waters. The shelling, which started from the coastal artillery base near Gaemori Coast, continued for an hour in two rounds, killing two Marines and two civilians. There were also about 60 wounded.

Meanwhile, the Marine Corps decided to preserve one of the two K-9 artillery positions that responded to the shelling during the Yeonpyeong Island shelling as a security exhibition hall.

There are two artillery positions of the 7th Artillery Company of the Yeonpyeong unit that participated in the counter-battery fire during the shelling. One has been renovated and is being used for its original military purpose.

The security exhibition hall, which began design and construction this summer and is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, will feature exhibits explaining the course of the shelling, preservation of North Korean shell impact sites and shrapnel traces, and personal effects of the fallen soldiers. The exhibition hall will serve as a place for the public and Marine Corps personnel to recognize the bravery of the Yeonpyeong unit at that time.

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