US-ROK War Veterans Gather Together After 4 Years... President Yoon: "Heroes Who Protected the Republic of Korea"

Sae Eden Church Honors Veterans' Service for 17 Years
Invites 47 Veterans Including Americans After 4 Years Due to COVID Impact

The '73rd Anniversary Commemoration of the June 25 War and the 70th Anniversary of the ROK-US Alliance, Honoring Korean War Veterans from Korea and the United States' was held on the 18th at the main sanctuary of Sae Eden Church in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. This event, which has been held for 17 consecutive years since 2007 to honor the merits of war veterans, was temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 but brought together veterans from both countries in one place for the first time in four years since 2019.

About 200 veterans from both countries participated. The American delegation included six Korean War veterans such as Paul Henry Cunningham (93), former president of the American Korean War Veterans Association, who arrived the day before at the church’s invitation, and 47 members of the U.S. side, including the bereaved family of the late Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez of the U.S. Navy, who threw himself on a grenade during the Incheon Landing Operation on September 15, 1950, to save his comrades. About 150 Korean veterans participated.

On the afternoon of the 18th, American veterans and families of veterans entered the '73rd Anniversary of the Korean War Remembrance Veterans Invitation Welfare Event' held at Sae Eden Church in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do.
[Photo by Sae Eden Church]

About 5,000 people, including political figures and church members, filled the venue. Attendees included National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-sik, 20 soldiers who are descendants of U.S. Forces Korea and veterans, officials from the U.S. Embassy in Korea, the ROK-US Combined Forces Command, and the U.S. Eighth Army Headquarters, as well as church members.

Pastor So Kang-seok, senior pastor of Sae Eden Church, said in his sermon, "(The veterans dispatched from each country) sacrificed their lives and fought bravely on this distant land to protect the Republic of Korea," adding, "We will remember, honor, and repay the last veteran."

Paul Henry Cunningham (93), former president of the American Korean War Veterans Association, mentioned the 'Wall of Remembrance' established at the Korean War Memorial Park in Washington, D.C., supported by Sae Eden Church and others, saying, "It vividly instilled in the hearts of future generations that freedom is not free and that Korea’s rise to the world’s 10th largest economy was made possible by the sacrifices of countless Korean, American, and United Nations forces." The 'Wall of Remembrance,' erected last year, bears the names of 43,748 fallen soldiers from the Korean War (36,574 U.S. soldiers and 7,174 KATUSA soldiers).

On the afternoon of the 18th, American veterans and their families entered the '73rd Anniversary of the Korean War Veterans Invitation Welfare Event' held at Sae Eden Church in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.
[Photo by Sae Eden Church]

President Yoon Suk-yeol, in a written congratulatory message, stated, "Korean War veterans are the guardians and heroes of freedom who protected the Republic of Korea," adding, "The freedom and peace we enjoy today were made possible by your sacrifices." He continued, "The blood-bonded ROK-US alliance has become a partner that practices solidarity in the international community based on shared values of freedom, democracy, and human rights," and requested, "Please continue to show your interest and support so that the ROK-US alliance can become even stronger and move toward a better future." The message was read by Kang Seung-gyu, Senior Secretary for Civil Society at the Presidential Office.

National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo said, "The ROK-US alliance is the most successful alliance in world history," and added, "To further honor the sacrifices and dedication of the veterans, we must not neglect the work of achieving eternal peace on this land."

Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-sik called out the names of American veterans one by one. He emphasized, "United by the value of freedom, they protected the Republic of Korea and made today’s prosperity possible. We will remember the sacrifices of the veterans together with the people and repay them with the highest honors."

At a commemorative event honoring Korean War veterans from the U.S. and Korea held on the 18th at Yongin Sae Eden Church, attendees are taking a group photo. [Photo by Sae Eden Church]

The U.S. veterans visiting Korea will tour major security sites in the country until their departure on the 22nd. Starting with a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial for the 46 Cheonan ship sailors at the Navy 2nd Fleet Command on the 19th, they will visit the U.S. Eighth Army Headquarters and Dora Observatory on the 20th, and the War Memorial of Korea and Special Warfare Command on the 21st.

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