Chairman Chey Tae-won: "Strengthening the Korea-US Alliance is Our Given Mission"

SK, Together with the Korea-US Alliance Foundation, Erect Memorials for Colonel Weber and General Singlove at Imjingak, Paju

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won is delivering a congratulatory speech at the unveiling ceremony of the 'Colonel Weber and General Singlove Memorial' held on the 12th at the Paju Imjingak Veterans Complex. Photo by SK Group

With sponsorship from SK, memorial monuments for Colonel William E. Weber and General John K. Singlaub, both Korean War veterans and symbols of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, were erected on the 12th within the Paju Imjingak Veterans Complex. The two heroes, who truly loved Korea, passed away last year and were interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C., USA.

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won attended the unveiling ceremony held that afternoon, expressing gratitude for the achievements and courage of the deceased and offering condolences to their families.

In his congratulatory speech, Chairman Chey said, "The sacrifice and dedication of Colonel Weber, General Singlaub, and other Korean War veterans gifted us the seed of liberal democracy," adding, "Because of this, our country, once among the poorest in the world, has been able to lead the global market in cutting-edge industries such as semiconductors and batteries."

He continued, "I heard that after Colonel Weber built the Washington D.C. Memorial Wall, he left the words 'Mission Complete' before departing from us," and stated, "It is by carrying on that mission?advancing cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. and proposing solutions to the challenges humanity faces?that we truly repay their noble sacrifice."

SK’s activities promoting South Korea-U.S. friendship have continued for over half a century. SK’s former chairman Choi Jong-hyun realized during his studies in the U.S. that 'nurturing talent' was the path to becoming a great nation, and supported Korean students to study at prestigious American educational institutions. Chairman Chey Tae-won has continued this legacy by expanding scholarship programs and broadening economic cooperation between South Korea and the U.S.

Chairman Chey was the first domestic company to sponsor $1 million (approximately 1.3 billion KRW) for the American 'Memorial Wall' project, which Colonel Weber dedicated his life to. In July last year, he attended the Memorial Wall dedication ceremony and met with Mrs. Annalee Weber, Colonel Weber’s wife (who passed away in October last year), sharing gratitude and condolences.

At the unveiling ceremony, Dayne Weber, Colonel Weber’s granddaughter, also attended, highlighting the multi-generational connection between Chairman Chey and the Weber family.

Additionally, Chairman Chey held a conversation at the event with Curtis Scaparrotti, former commander of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command and president of the Korean War Veterans Association in Korea. An SK official stated, "Since there are about 3.3 million Korean War veterans in the U.S., we discussed how they can be strong supporters for Korean companies expanding into the American market."

The 'Colonel Weber and General Singlaub Memorial Monument Project' has been promoted by the Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring veterans of both countries and strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance. SK decided to support the production costs immediately after learning about the project earlier this year.

SK and the foundation plan to use this site to record the dedication of the veterans who laid the foundation for Korea’s growth and to educate future generations about the values of security and freedom.

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