50th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration

50 th Anniversary of the
Korean War Commemoration

Commémoration du 50ème Anniversaire de la
Guerre de Corée

Website for the 50th anniversary of the Korean War
Commemoration : Dec. 1, 1999 
http://www.koreanwar.go.kr

Freedom is not free
La Liberté a un prix...

Greetings

The year 2000 will be a noteworthy occasion, as we will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Korean War.

To observe the anniversary, ROK Government is planning a variety of events to honor the Allied Forces war veterans in all over the world as well as from Korea and to express the sincere respect and appreciation of the Korean people to the surviving veterans or their family members. An additional goal of the commemoration is to promote friendship and goodwill among our allies, who generously demonstrated their commitment to world peace and freedom by sending their troops to Korea 50 years ago.

The commemoration will run from June 25, 2000 to July 27, 2003 - the 50th anniversaries of the outbreak of the war and the signing of the Armistice Agreement ending the conflict. Fifty two commemorative events, including the 50th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony, will be held in conjunction with various domestic and foreign commemorative functions.

These events will pay homage to the memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice in the Korean War under the United Nations flag, and express a profond sense of gratitude to all foreign veterans for their friendship.

We will wholeheartedly welcome the war veterans to Korea so that they may share the special memories and affection of Korea with each other and the Korean people, who are deeply appreciative. In an effort to express its sincere appreciation, Korean government is doing its best to make their trip to Korea pleasant and memorable by providing various assitance and services.

50th Anniversary of the Korean War
Commemoration Committee
Chairman : Sun-Yup Paik (Army General, Ret.)

Overview of Commemoration

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Korean War in 2000, we are preparing a variety of events. The purpose of the commemorative program is to honor the war veterans from allied countries as well as Korea and to express the deep respect and gratitude of the Korean people to them and their family members. At the same time, the events are planed to intensify the patriotism of the generation of Koreans who were born after the war and to rekindle the nation's vigilance to its national security. The programs will play an important role in strengthening the existing friendship among those countries that fought for world peace and freedom during the Korean War.

To hihglight the true sense of the Korean War, the program will commence on June 25, 2000, fifty years after the day when the war started 50 years ago, and last through July 27, 2003, the fiftieth anniversary of the day when the war came to an end with the signing of the Armistice Agreement.

There will be 52 programs under eight categories. The programs will be implemented nationwide and, at the same time, on an international level.The programs are designed to promote the unity and harmony of Korean people, and to enhance Korea's national status in the world community, thus contributing to the world peace and prosperity in the 21st century.

We will work continuously to develop the Korean War monuments and battlefields to make them as the most significant and appealing tourist sites for foreigners as well as Koreans.

Details of Commemoration
- Korean War Commemoration Events

The Main Commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War (to be held on June 25, 2000 at the War Memorial) :

The ceremony will be held as an international program where representatives of allied countries participated in the war and the war veterans will be invited.
The commemorative event will include a visit to the National Cemetery, a memorial ceremony, a parade and other entertaining events.

Programs to commemorate the Liberation Seoul

Flag parade (Major battlefields, Sept. 15 - 28, 2000)
Photo exhibition (Seoul and Kyungin areas, Sept. 20 - 28, 2000)
Ironman triathlon (Inchon ~ Seoul, Sept. 23, 2000)
Ceremony (former government office building in Kwangwhamun, Seoul, Sept. 23, 2000)
Yonhi Heights (104 Heights) commemoration events (Seodaemun, Seoul, Sept. 28, 2000)

Program to commemorate the Inchon Landing :

Photo and landing equipment exhibition (Songdo in Inchon, Sept. 14-17, 2000)
Ceremony (Songdo in Inchon, Sept. 15, 2000)
Event to commemorate battles in Kyungin area (Wolmido, Sept. 16, 2000)
Navy vessels exhibition (Inchon port, Sept. 16, 2000)

Program to commemorate the Pusan Perimeter :

Ceremony (Dabudong, Sept. 13, 2000)
Parade (Dabudong - Woikwan, Sept. 13, 2000)
Visit to the battlefields (each unit, July 13, 2000 - Sept. 22, 2000)

Ground force commemoration events (each corps, June 2000 - July 2003)

Battle of the Marine Corps commemoration events (Tongyoung/Tosolsan, Aug. 2000 - June 2001)

Air Force commemoration events (Taegu/Sachon/hill 351/Kangneung, July 2000 - Oct.. 2001)

UN Cemetery Tribute (Pusan UN Cemetery, October 24, 2001)

Declaration of World Peace (the War Memorial, July 27, 2003)

Closing ceremony of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War and affirming continuous effort to promote peace
Ribbon cutting ceremony at the monument to mark the visit of world leaders and declaration of Peace.
- - Commemoration of battles fought by the Allied Nations

Country	Events	Date	Place
Sweden		2000.9.28	Pusan
Turkey		2000.10.17	Yongin
India		2000.11.20	Taegu (Munsan)
France		2001.1-2	Chipyong-ni
The Netherlands		2001.2.13	Hoengsung
Denmark		2001.3.7	Inchon
United Kingdom	Imjin River, Kapyong	2001.4.22	U.N. Cemetery
Australia		2001.4.22	Kapyong
New Zealand		2001.4.22	Kapyong
Canada		2001.4.22	Kapyong
Philippines		2001.5.18	Koyang
Norway		2001.7.19	Dongduchon
Greece		2001.10.3	Yoju
Columbia		2001.10.13	Inchon
Belgium Luxembourg		2001.10.14	Dongduchon
Italy		2001.11.16	Youngdeungpo
South Africa		2002.6.13	Osan (Suwon)
Ethiopia		2002.10.21	Choochun
Thaïland		2002.11.1	Pochun

- Battles of the United States

Classification Events Date Place

ROK-US Joint event Break out of
Pusan perimeter
2000.9.13 Kapyong

id. Inchon landing 2000.9.15 Inchon

Hosted by the U.S. Outbreak of the war 2000.6.25 CFC

id. Task Force Smith 2000.7.5 Osan

id. Changjin Reservoir 2000.11.11 CFC (Seoul)

id. U.N. Cemetery Tribute 2001.4.18 U.N. Cemetery

id. Battle of Outpost 2001.8.18 2nd Infantry Division

id. Air Power Commemoration 2003.5.30 Osan Air Base

id. Veterans Day 2002.11.11 CFC

id. Sea Power Commemoration 2003.5.30 Chinhae

id. Signing of the Armistice Agreement 2003.7.27 Panmunjon

id. ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty Assistance 2003.10.1 CFC

- Succeeding the Lessons of the Korean War

The Korean War is a war that South Koreans fought to defend their country from the North Korean invasion ion a joint effort withthe UN Forces. The war signified the commitment of freedom fighters to defend peace and democraty of the world, and to contain the expansion of communism.

National Defense Seminar (Hyatte Hotel in Seoul, April 27-28, 2000)

Coordinated research of the Korean War (2000-2003)

Search for war-related material, and its classification and recording (Testimonies of civilian guerillas, prisoner of war, military personnel, war heroes and etc...)
War veterans' testimony ; war memoirs
Study of the political, social, economic, and cultural influence of the Korean War

International Peace Seminar (Hyatte Hotel in Seoul, June 27-28, 2003)

- Construction of the Monument to Commemorate the 50 th anniversary of the Korean War and Restoration of the Battlefields

Monument (inside the War Memorial from June 2000 through July 2003)
Manse Bridge Monument and Yongchon Battle Monument (June, 2000-2001, Pochon and Yongchon)
Kuje Prisoners' Camp Miniature Project (Kuje Island, June 2000-2001)
Establisment of the Moseulpo National Security Park (Cheju, 2000-2002)
Monument for the Chongdongjin civilians victims
Victory Hall to commemorate student soldiers
Restoration of battlefields (2000 - 2003)
- Restoration of battlefields under the supervision of each countries and local autonomous governments
- Complementing or correcting of the name plates of the war dead

- Honoring War Veterans

Honoring war veterans at schools and in each town and city (2000 - 2003)
Search for war veterans and family members of war dead (2000 - 2003)
Thank-you letters to the Korean War veterans and visit to their family (2000 - 2003)
Awarding of medals (2001 - 2003)
Events for war heroes
- Invitation of awardees of commemoration medals (June 2000 - July 2003, the War Memorial)
- Publishing of war heroes stories
- Display of wax figures wearing medals (June 2000 - July 2003, the War Memorial)
- Exhumation and reinternement of the war dead (2000 - 2003)
```
- Patriotism and National Security Education 
for the Post-War Generation
```

Patriotism and national security education for post-war generation (2000 - 2003)
- School education : Teaching of the background, characteristics and lessons of the war
- Social education : collective training, seminars and literary activities to strengthen patriotism
Awarding prizes for literary works on war experiences and patriotism (Feb. - June 2000)
Events for youth :
- Unification March (Kosung, August 2000)
- Patriots March, and country crossing (June-July, 2000, July-Aug. 2002)
Photo exhibition tour (June - July 2000)
Armed Forces Parade (June 25, 2000)
WAR-TECH 2001 (May - June 2001, the War Memorial)
- Military science exhibition for the world peace
- Exhibition of high-tech equipment and international events
PEACE - EXPO 2002 (May-June 2002, the War Memorial/DMZ)
- Exhibitions for Peace
- World Cup-related International Events
Marathon for the World Peace (Chauro - Imjingak, June 25, 2003)

-Welfare program for War Veterans

Revision of provisions related to assistance for war veterans (from 2000 - )
Extension of medical benefits and use of state facilities (from 2000 - )


- Films Commemorating the Korean War and others
International Events

UN and International Events (Sept. 2000)
- President's speech at UN headquarters
- Reception
- Exhibition and cultural events
Meeting of military officers from the allied countries
Film festival tour around the allied countries
Broadcasting of film from the 16 allied countries
Invite war correspondents of allied countries to Korea (June, 2000)
Invite reporters from major foreign publications to Korea (June, 2000)
Invite Korean embassy employees stationed in allied countries (June, 2000)
Taekwondo matches in the American and European continent

- 50th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Ceremony

Main Commemoration Ceremony

Date : 09:00 - 16:00, June 25, 2000
Place : The War Memorial Mall
Partipants : 12,000 people
- Korean, foreign war veterans, their families and guests from the allied nations
- Representatives from various departments and functions, foreign diplomats
Details :
- Pre-Commemoration events (09:00 - 09:50)
  - pre-event, ribbon cutting ceremony, Requiem and dance,
  - performance (50th Anniversary of the Korean War)
  - presentation of war veteran's memoirs, Bridge
- Main events (10:00 - 10:40)
  - opening remaks, silent tribute Welcoming of war veterans and presentation of flower
  - commemorative speech, groundbreaking ceremony, Chorus
- Post-Commemoration events (10:50 - 11:30)
  - bridge, military music performance
  - millenium events and Korea fantasy
  - (a special exhibition will be held at the same time)
- Parade (14:00 - 16:00)
  - parade, march and car parade (veterns, military officers on active duties, students)
  - Namdaemun - City Hall - Sejongro - Kwangwamun
- Related events
General Assembly of the International Federation of Korean War Veterans Association
- Hotel in Ambassador, War veterans - 2000. 6. 21 - 2000. 6. 28
Memorial Service at the National Cemetery
- Seoul National Memorial Center, War veterans - 2000. 6. 25. 08:00h
Dinner for War Veterans
- Hotel in Seoul, War veterans/families - 2000. 6. 25. 18:00h
Special Exhibition
- The War Memorial, Domestic and foreign tourists - 2000. 6. 25. - 2000. 9. 30.

SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . Retour Index Histoire

FKV@ : lcr.fn.korean.vet@wanadoo.fr . . . . . . .Webmaster : france.coree.lcr@wanadoo.fr

Classification	Events	Date	Place
ROK-US Joint event	Break out of Pusan perimeter	2000.9.13	Kapyong
id.	Inchon landing	2000.9.15	Inchon
Hosted by the U.S.	Outbreak of the war	2000.6.25	CFC
id.	Task Force Smith	2000.7.5	Osan
id.	Changjin Reservoir	2000.11.11	CFC (Seoul)
id.	U.N. Cemetery Tribute	2001.4.18	U.N. Cemetery
id.	Battle of Outpost	2001.8.18	2nd Infantry Division
id.	Air Power Commemoration	2003.5.30	Osan Air Base
id.	Veterans Day	2002.11.11	CFC
id.	Sea Power Commemoration	2003.5.30	Chinhae
id.	Signing of the Armistice Agreement	2003.7.27	Panmunjon
id.	ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty Assistance	2003.10.1	CFC