Gwangju City Presents Military Merit Medals to Korean War Veterans After 70 Years

Gwangju City Hall

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] In Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, a military merit medal was awarded to the families of veterans who participated in the Korean War after 70 years.

Gwangju-si announced on the 14th, "The Ministry of National Defense awarded the Hwarang Military Merit Medal and the certificate on behalf of the Minister of National Defense to the families of the late Major Choi Byung-hyuk, the late Corporal Jin Soon-cheon, and the late Private Jeong Hyun-gu, who died in the Korean War."

The awarding ceremony was attended by Cha Jong-yeon, chairman of the Veterans Organization Council, Jo Heung-rae, president of the Military Merit Recipients Association, and Lee Jae-kyung, chairman of the Korean War Veterans Association.

The late Major Choi Byung-hyuk served as a company commander in the Army's 11th Division during the Korean War and participated in battles in the Goseong area of Gangwon Province from September 1951 to May of the following year, achieving distinguished service.

Although it was decided to award Major Choi the Hwarang Military Merit Medal twice, on December 30, 1951, and June 13, 1952, he was unable to receive the actual medal and certificate due to the wartime situation and passed away in 2019 at the age of 99.

The late Corporal Jin Soon-cheon was a frontline squad leader of the Army's 5th Division and participated in the battle in the Yangyang area of the eastern front in October 1951. He was designated to receive the Hwarang Military Merit Medal on December 27, 1951, but did not receive it and passed away in 1984 at the age of 80.

The late Private Jeong Hyun-gu enlisted in the Capital Division and fought in the final defense battles in the Yangyang area of the East Coast in March and July 1951. He died in battle at the young age of 28 while fighting the enemy.

Choi Min-jun (73), son of the late Major Choi Byung-hyuk who attended the awarding ceremony, said, "I am truly grateful and thankful that the country has not forgotten those who passed away and has come to find them, even if belatedly."

Mayor Shin Dong-heon said, "I feel honored to be able to present the medals, albeit late after 70 years, to those who dedicated themselves to the country," adding, "We will do our best to honor the sacrifices and dedication of national veterans and their families without forgetting their noble sacrifices."

Meanwhile, this awarding of the military merit medals is part of the 'Korean War Military Merit Medal Recovery Project' led by the Ministry of National Defense and the Army Headquarters since 2019, as a national-level tribute to find hidden heroes who could not receive their medals due to the urgent wartime situation during the Korean War.

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