"Soldier! I'll Shoot"…Warm Stories for Military Personnel Continue

Soldiers Sharing Their Stories: "I Am Proud of the Military Uniform I Wear"

Various acts of kindness toward military personnel are continuing across the country, such as providing coffee to about 30 soldiers and secretly paying for the meals soldiers ate at restaurants.

According to the online community "Delivering Messages from Army Training Camps (Yukdaejeon)" on the 11th, around 11 a.m. that day, an Army 3rd Corps officer A, who was dining with his family at a Chinese restaurant in Inje-gun, Gangwon Province, was told by a staff member that "a customer dining at the opposite table had paid the bill and left."

Photo by Mun Honam munonam@

Officer A explained, "I thought they might have mistaken the table and paid by accident, so I hurriedly followed two gentlemen from the opposite table as they were leaving and said, 'I think you paid by mistake.' One of the gentlemen replied, 'With your short hair and way of speaking, anyone could tell you are a soldier, so I was happy to pay for you.'

Officer A continued, "I was not even wearing my combat uniform, and as an officer, I appreciated the gesture but declined. However, the gentleman said, 'Whether officer or enlisted, you all work hard to protect the country, so please accept this kindness.' I was so overwhelmed that I could only keep thanking them as I saw the two gentlemen off."

Officer A said, "Having experienced this kind story that I had only heard online, I felt a renewed sense of pride and duty as a soldier," and added, "I would like to once again express my gratitude to the unknown gentlemen who treated my family to lunch."

Earlier, on the 8th, a middle-aged man treated about 30 soldiers from the Army 6th Division to coffee while they were on a business trip from Cheorwon to Goesan, as introduced on Yukdaejeon.

Officer B of the Army 6th Division Cheongseong Unit said, "On the 8th, while on a business trip from Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, where our unit is based, to Goesan, Chungbuk Province, we stopped at Yeoju Rest Area to have lunch as ordered."

Officer B wrote, "Following the motto during outings to 'not exceed 8,000 won for meal expenses,' we ordered inexpensive ramen with rice bowls for the group and were waiting when a middle-aged gentleman quietly asked, 'Which unit are you from?' When I answered, '6th Division,' he said he was also from the 6th Division reconnaissance unit in 1986 and expressed his pleasure."

He continued, "That gentleman said, 'I am very glad and thankful,' bought coffee for about 30 soldiers, shook hands, smiled, and then left."

He wrote, "In my 20 years of military service, I had only heard of such cases in stories, but I experienced it firsthand. Thanks to people like him, I am proud to wear this uniform. I will strive to be a soldier worthy of this honor."

The 6th Division is known as a so-called Maker Division (a unit with history and tradition) and was the first unit to advance to the Yalu River during the Korean War.

A similar story occurred last month. A man in his 20s paid for the beef meal of a soldier’s family who was on leave. The man explained that seeing the military uniform reminded him of his younger brother currently serving in active duty.

Thanks to this, the soldier was able to have a warmer meal with his father and said, "I am grateful to that person who gave me unforgettable memories and the strength to fulfill my duty to national defense," adding, "I hope this story can give even a little strength to all the soldiers working hard across the Republic of Korea."

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