Yoon calls on nation to remember sacrifice of fallen soldiers on 73rd Korean War anniversary

Jun 26, 2023, 08:06 am

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President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife, Kim Keon-hee, arrive at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam on June 24, 2023./ Source: Yonhap

AsiaToday reporter Lee Wook-jae

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday called on the nation to remember the sacrifice of fallen troops from the 1950-53 Korean War, saying the “blood and tears shed by the war veterans and their families shall never be forgotten.”

In a Facebook post, Yoon said, “In the three-year war, nearly 620,000 South Korean soldiers as well as 150,000 U.N. troops, including 130,000 U.S. soldiers, were killed, missing, and injured.”

“73 years ago, then-U.S. President Truman decided to participate in the war to protect the freedom of the Republic of Korea,” he said, noting that 1.95 million UN soldiers, including 1.78 million US soldiers, came “rushing to protect” the freedom of South Koreans during the war.

“We should remember the meaning of all of the blood that was shed by those in uniform, which made freedom in the Republic of Korea possible,” Yoon said. “Only strong power can guarantee true peace.”

“We will defend the free Republic of Korea resolutely and contribute to bringing freedom and prosperity to the citizens of the world so that the sacrifice of the heroes who defended freedom against the invasion of the communist forces will not go in vain,” he said.

#Korean War #Yoon Suk-yeol