COMMUNITY FORUM

With a UN cemetery in Busan and The National War Memorial in Seoul, do we need another memorial park?


Consider that the United States, which helped secure South Korea’s freedom and peace, has more than 300 Korean War memorials or parks. Moreover, about 60 federal and state highways bear names that commemorate the Korean War, remembering and expressing gratitude to the war’s fallen heroes.


In contrast, Korea, the conflict’s sole beneficiary, has only a few memorials for the fallen of Korean War. Given the deep cultural value that Koreans place on gratitude, even thousands of memorials would seem insufficient.


The United Nations Cemetery in Busan and the War Memorial Museum in Seoul have served as major sites for explaining and commemorating the Korean War.


The new UN Memorial Park features modern digital displays and a striking design, making it easily accessible. Unlike the Korean War Museum, which honors all war victims, the UN Memorial Park exclusively memorializes UN forces who fell during the War.



How many visitors per year do you expect to visit the UN Memorial Park?


With its stunning and impactful design, the Korean War UN Memorial Park is expected to draw approximately 8 million visitors annually, depending on the site location. Annual visits to related sites are as follows:


      •   Gyeongbokgung Palace receives 3.2 million visitors.

      •   Namsan Park receives 8.4 million visitors.

      •   More than 4 million people visited the Korean War Memorial in Washington, DC.


Visitors to the Korean War UN Memorial Park will gain a deeper understanding of the Korean War and can express their gratitude for the freedom and peace that the fallen provided for them.


The memorial is to honor foreign national fallen, why KATUSA names are included?


The names of 7,174 KATUSA (Korean Augmentation to the US Army) fallen are engraved on the Wall of Remembrance installed at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington. Korean War Combat veterans wish to include KATUSA fallen as their bonded comrades of the US Army.


At first, there was an opinion to engrave the names of KATUSA fallen separately, but due to the petition of Korean War veterans, the names of KATUSA soldiers who died fighting together were engraved in alphabetical order along with the fallen soldiers of the U.S. Army.


Many U.S. Army soldiers were sacrificed by the KATUSA soldiers while fighting in the unfamiliar land of Korea, and they were sacrificed together as comrades. Against this background, the names of the KATUSA soldiers were laid to rest with the U.S. Army, and their names were engraved along with the victims of the U.S. Army on the wall of remembrance erected in Seoul.


Many organizations in Korea honor the ROK-US alliance; collaborating with them could support the memorial park project.


This is an excellent suggestion, and we welcome individuals and groups interested in supporting the Memorial Park, including those whose focus goes beyond U.S.-Korea relations.


Since 2024, we've sought partners in Korea and found strong support for the initiative, though many are hesitant due to the scale of fundraising required.


Participants who have joined are giving their time, resources, and dedication as volunteers to honor the Korean War fallen—an act that is rare and meaningful for many in Korea. We are seeking more participants and organizations to join in our efforts. Please contact us before your passion for the memorial cools down.


Many people will support your nationwide fundraising campaign plan targeting one million participants. However, is it possible for one million Koreans to participate in a country where a culture of giving has not yet taken root?


Some have noted that philanthropy is not deeply rooted in Korean culture due to its history of poverty. Yet, with economic growth, charitable giving is increasing, especially among the younger generation. We believe a successful nationwide fundraising campaign will help challenge stereotypes about Koreans and giving. Additionally, many Koreans, grateful for those lost in the Korean War, are ready to act, and we expect over a million participants. It will be youngsters with 1,000 Korean Won and thoughtful philanthropists with 100,000,000 Korean Won donation.