"The Marine Corps Loved by My Son"… Late Corporal Chae Su-geun's Parents' Tearful Handwritten Letter

Funeral Ceremony Held on the 22nd at Marine Corps 1st Division
Corporal Chae Su-geun to be Interred at National Daejeon Memorial Cemetery

A letter written by the parents of the late Corporal Chae Su-geun, a Marine who died in the line of duty while searching for missing persons during heavy rain damage in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk, has been made public.

On the 22nd, the Marine Corps released the handwritten letter from Corporal Chae’s parents through their official Facebook page.

On the 22nd, the Marine Corps disclosed a handwritten letter from Corporal Chae's parents through their official Facebook page.
[Photo by Marine Corps Official Facebook]

The parents of Corporal Chae expressed, "We sincerely offer our gratitude. Thanks to the concern and condolences from the entire nation, we were able to hold the funeral properly," and added, "We will never forget the heartfelt feelings of the people and will keep them deeply in our hearts."

They continued, "President Yoon Suk-yeol’s words and condolence message brought great comfort. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, along with many others from various sectors, willingly came from afar to offer sincere encouragement," and said, "Remembering the precious words that comforted the bereaved family, we will somehow gather strength and continue to live."

Furthermore, they stated, "We especially express our deep gratitude to the veterans affairs authorities who promptly awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation, enabling Su-geun to be buried in the National Cemetery as a national merit recipient," and "We repeatedly thank Commander Kim Gye-hwan of the Marine Corps, the soldiers who accompanied our child Su-geun on his final journey, the 119 emergency responders who supported the bereaved family’s psychological healing, the Marine Corps veterans association, and numerous others who helped us conduct the funeral safely."

Request for Thorough Investigation and Fundamental Measures to Prevent Recurrence of the Accident

Corporal Chae's parents stated, "We sincerely express our gratitude. Thanks to the concern and comfort of the entire nation, we were able to conduct the funeral well," and added, "We will never forget the heartfelt support from the people and will keep it deeply in our hearts."
[Photo by the Marine Corps official Facebook]

In the letter, Corporal Chae’s parents also did not forget to request a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident and the establishment of fundamental measures to prevent recurrence.

They said, "Taking this accident as an opportunity, we hope that the Marine Corps, which Su-geun loved, will promptly establish fundamental measures such as comprehensive regulations and rules through a thorough investigation of the cause so that such tragic incidents never happen again," and emphasized, "We earnestly ask once again that strong measures be put in place, including providing a safe environment and equipment for mission execution, so that the public can truly feel that 'the Marine Corps is indeed different.'"

Finally, they added, "As members of the Marine Corps family, we support the Marine Corps together with the people and will always watch as the Marine Corps continues to develop," and said, "What we truly wish for is simply that if only our Su-geun were here with us at this very moment, we would have no regrets."

Earlier, Corporal Chae went missing around 9:03 a.m. on the 19th while searching for missing persons in Seokgwancheon, Yecheon-gun, and was found deceased around 11:08 p.m. about 400 meters downstream from Gopyeonggyo Bridge on Naeseongcheon. The government posthumously promoted him from Private First Class to Corporal, decided on his death in the line of duty, and awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Gwangbok Medal.

Corporal Chae’s funeral was held that morning at his unit, the 1st Marine Division. His ashes will be interred at the National Daejeon Cemetery after cremation.

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