The 18th International Memorial Day Ceremony for UN Veterans Flyer
The event is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Monday at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan, the world’s only UN cemetery
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기사입력 : 2024.11.12 10:19
The
Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (Minister Kang Jeong-ae) announced
that on Monday, the 11th, at 10:50 a.m., the 18th International Memorial Day
ceremony for UN veterans, who sacrificed and dedicated themselves to protect
the freedom of the Republic of Korea during the Korean War, will be held at the
United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan, the only UN cemetery in the world.
Held
under the theme “Turn Toward Busan,” this year’s event will welcome over 800
attendees, including UN veterans and their families from 20 countries, Korean
veterans, foreign diplomats, UN Command personnel, and students.
[UN
Unidentified Soldier Interment Ceremony]
At
10:30 a.m., prior to the memorial ceremony, there will be an interment ceremony
for an unidentified UN soldier in the unknown soldiers’ section of the UN
Memorial Cemetery. The remains, discovered in Baekryeong-ri, Yeoncheon-gun,
Gyeonggi Province in 2010, were determined through DNA analysis to be those of
a European male aged 17–25, who served in the UN forces. However, his
nationality and identity remain unknown. This marks the first time that an
unidentified UN veteran discovered after the armistice has been interred at the
UN Memorial Cemetery.
The
interment ceremony will follow a process of transporting the remains, lowering
them into the grave, placing soil from the location where the remains were
found, and offering floral tributes and silent prayers. The ceremony will be broadcast
on a screen at the main venue.
[International
Memorial Day Ceremony for UN Veterans]
Following
the interment, the memorial ceremony will begin at 10:50 a.m. in the main
symbolic area with the raising of the national flags of the participating countries,
a tribute of flowers, speeches, a theme video, a remembrance address, and a
dedication performance. The ceremony will last about 40 minutes.
The
ceremony will commence with 48 students from Busan Foreign Language High School
and ROK military personnel raising the flags of South Korea, the UN, and the 22
other countries that participated in the Korean War, in pairs. Following this,
Second Lieutenant Jin Da-ye, a granddaughter of a veteran, will recite the
pledge to the national flag, and a Ministry of Defense vocal unit will lead the
national anthem. At 11 a.m., a minute of silent tribute will be observed across
Busan, accompanied by a 21-gun salute in honor of the UN fallen soldiers.
After
the silent tribute, wreaths representing South Korea and the 22 participating
nations will be placed. This will be followed by remarks from representatives
of the participating nations.
The memorial performance will
include a letter of gratitude from Mary McIntosh, daughter of the late Melvin
Maynard, a U.S. Marine veteran of the Incheon Landing, expressing appreciation
to the UN veterans. Mary McIntosh, along with her family, will perform the
commemorative song “The Hidden Path (가리워진길).” Her family’s connection to Korea spans three generations, from her
father’s service in the Korean War to her husband’s mission work and her
children’s careers in Korea.
Following
the memorial performance, a theme video will highlight that today’s development
and prosperity in Korea stem from the “seeds of freedom and peace” planted by
UN veterans over 70 years ago.
After
the tribute speech, a declaration of peace dedicated to UN veterans will be
read by members of the Veterans Honors Club, including Seol Dong-min (co-CEO of
Made in People), Seon Ho-seung (an elementary school teacher), Campbell Asia,
and student representative Kim Si-yeon (a Naval ROTC cadet from Pukyong
National University). This declaration, produced in album format, will be
presented to 12 UN veterans attending the ceremony.
The
ceremony will conclude with a choral rendition of the dedication song “See You
Again” by the Ministry of Defense vocal unit and the Raon Youth Choir, followed
by a commemorative flight by the Air Force Black Eagles.
Minister
of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kang Jeong-ae stated, “The government and the
people of Korea will forever remember that the seeds of freedom sown by UN
veterans over 70 years ago have grown into today’s peace and prosperity. We
will strive to honor the veterans, strengthen solidarity with participating
nations, and pass on the legacy of UN participation in the Korean War to future
generations.”
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