Yoon Awards Medals to Korean War Veterans... "Without Their Sacrifice, Republic of Korea Would Not Exist"

70th Anniversary Luncheon of the Korea-US Alliance... "The Korean War is a War to Remember"
Colonel Phuket Moves Himself in Wheelchair... Awarded the Taegeuk Military Merit Medal

On the 25th (local time), President Yoon Suk-yeol attended a luncheon commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Korea-US alliance and stated, "Without the sacrifices of the Korean War veterans, there would be no Republic of Korea today," adding, "The Korean War is not a forgotten war but a victorious war, a war that must be remembered."

At the luncheon held at a hotel in Washington DC that day, President Yoon personally presented medals to retired Army Colonel Ralph Furket and retired Navy Colonel Elmer Royce Williams, and posthumously awarded a medal to the late Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez, with his nephew Joseph Lopez in attendance.

President Yoon Suk-yeol, on a state visit to the United States, presented the Medal of Honor to retired Navy Colonel Elmer Royce Williams at a luncheon for Korean War veterans held at a hotel in Washington DC on the 25th (local time).
[Photo by Yonhap News]

President Yoon personally pushed Colonel Furket's wheelchair to the stage. He then awarded the highest military decoration, the Taeguk Medal of Military Merit, to Colonels Furket and Williams and to Lieutenant Lopez's nephew. In his luncheon speech, President Yoon said, "The dazzling prosperity of the Republic of Korea, which has risen from the ruins of war to become a global leader, stands on the sacrifices and dedication of countless young Americans," and added, "1.8 million young people who believed in the value of freedom jumped into the Korean War to protect the Republic of Korea from the threat of communization."

He especially emphasized, "Without the sacrifices of the Korean War veterans, there would be no Republic of Korea today," and said, "The Korean War is not a forgotten war but a victorious war, a war to be remembered. You are the heroes and true friends who made today's Republic of Korea possible." He continued, "The blood-bonded Korea-US alliance has created the most successful and strongest alliance in the world for 70 years," and stated, "The Republic of Korea government will not cease efforts to recover the remains of US soldiers who died or went missing in the Korean War."

The luncheon was attended by numerous current and former US generals, including Air Force Chief of Staff Charles Brown, Navy Vice Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti, Commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command Paul LaCamera, former Commanders of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command Curtis Scaparrotti and John Tilelli, and former Commanders of the US Eighth Army Bernard Champoux and Marquel Wills. Joseph McChristian Jr., grandson of General James Van Fleet, a symbol of the Korea-US alliance, and Nam Hee, eldest daughter of General Paik Sun-yup, were also present.

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