A 20,000-Pyeong 'UN Peace Village' to Be Established in Yangsan... Korea and New Zealand Join Hands for Construction

UN Peace Memorial Foundation and New Zealand Veterans Memorial Foundation Sign Business Agreement

Lee Ok-ran, Chairperson of the UN Peace Memorial Foundation Promotion Committee (left), and Jo Yo-seop, Chairman of the Veterans Memorial Foundation. / Photo by Lee Se-ryeong ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] A UN Peace Village honoring and commemorating the sacrifices of United Nations veterans of the Korean War will be established in the Samgam-ri area of Habuk-myeon, Yangsan-si, Gyeongnam.

The UN Peace Memorial Foundation Promotion Committee and the New Zealand Veterans Memorial Foundation signed a “Business Agreement for the Establishment of the UN Peace Village” on the 6th to accelerate the project.

About 150 people attended the signing ceremony held at Gamrimsan Prayer Center in Habuk-myeon, Yangsan-si, including Lee Okran, head of the Promotion Committee, Jo Yoseop, chairman of the Veterans Memorial Foundation and president of the Auckland Korean Association, Kang Donghun, vice president of the Korean Association, and other committee members.

The UN Peace Village will be developed on approximately 20,000 pyeong (about 66,115 square meters). It will serve as a space of gratitude and commemoration for the countries that participated in the Korean War, a place to teach historical patriotism to descendants, and a venue for commemorative ceremonies such as the Korean War and Liberation Day.

The site will include a visitor center composed of memorial houses for each participating country, an exhibition hall, seminar rooms, a caf?, and an information office, as well as pillars representing each participating country, a memorial plaza, and a fountain.

Under this agreement, the committee will provide ▲ UN peace memorial events and visit events and convenience services ▲慰問 programs for New Zealand veterans, while the foundation will commit to ▲ jointly promoting commemorative events in New Zealand ▲ carrying out veterans’ programs ▲ and cooperating on other events and programs.

The New Zealand Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation is a nonprofit organization established by Korean New Zealanders to honor New Zealand veterans and support their descendants.

The foundation is constructing a veterans memorial and museum on the site of the Auckland Korean Association building, aiming for completion on November 11 next year.

The memorial, measuring 2.7 meters in height, 3.5 meters in width, and weighing 18 tons, will bear the names of 4,800 soldiers who participated in the Korean War.

Lee Okran, head of the Promotion Committee, said, “I hope our descendants will never forget the sacrifices of the veterans, be grateful, and extend a helping hand to neighbors or other countries in need. I look forward to working with the foundation to establish the UN Peace Village and widely share the stories of the Korean War and its veterans.”

Jo Yoseop, chairman of the foundation, said, “New Zealand was the first to express its intention to participate when help was requested to protect freedom and democracy on this land in 1950, dispatching over 5,000 soldiers out of 8,000 over three years. I hope the UN Peace Village will be established as a space to eternally remember and commemorate veterans from various countries who participated in the Korean War, and we will actively support this.”

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