PROJECT PLAN
The Korean War United Nations Veterans Memorial Park (UN Memorial Park) will be developed in two phases and will require approximately 7,000 square meters (1.72 acres, 2,120 pyung) of land in an easily accessible, prime location in Seoul.
Please note the project plan assumes that all preparation proceeds smoothly. We must obtain support from the Korean Government in securing the site, national fundraising campaigns, and other important tasks. Revisions may be necessary as circumstances require.
The design of this memorial park will be modeled after the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. The design for the park built at the US National Mall was chosen through a United States design concept competition with over 500 submissions that gathered the voices and opinions of countless Americans. The United States was the largest contributor of forces, equipment and material support to the Korean War effort. By bringing this concept to Korea, supporters hope that Koreans, as the beneficiaries of the war’s effort, can share in the sentiments that citizens of the contributing nation hold.
The memorial will include a dramatic, high-tech lighting display to attract evening visitors, young and old. It will be the world’s largest Korean War–related memorial and become an iconic and world-recognized sightseeing location in Seoul.
The first phase of the project will be a Wall of Remembrance engraved with 47,325 names in English: 36,634 from the United States and 3,577 from Fifteen United Nations member nations battle casualties, along with 7,174 Korean Augmentation to United States Army soldiers who took ultimate sacrifices while combating alongside with the US Army. The numbers of fallen can be changed as the document search continues.
The names will be inscribed on approximately 110 solid black granite blocks. Each block is about 120 centimeters square and weighs about 5 tons. The UN Memorial is about 10% larger than the US Memorial in sizes.
PROJECT TIMELINE
The main goal is to be granted the memorial site of the UN Veterans Memorial Park with the blessings of the Korean government.
PHASE I
The Wall of Remembrance (Phase 1) construction will take about 18 to 20 months. can be dedicated on either July 27 or November 11 of 2027 if Korean government grants a memorial site by the fourth quarter of 2025.
PHASE II
The second phase of the project is the
Frontline of Remembrance, which will feature 20 2.5-meter (8-foot) statues. These statues will depict soldiers advancing across fields reminiscent of the rice paddy ridges in rural Korea, each holding a rifle or other equipment.
Groundbreaking for Phase 2 can take place on the day of the Phase 1 dedication. About 14 months will be required to finish and dedicate Phase 2, with hope to complete by Jul 27, 2029, Korean War Armistice Agreement Day.
The number of statues is as follows:
Five representing the United States; Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, and KATUSA, and the nations who provided combat services suffered the highest number of casualties with 36,634 battle deaths, and one statue (per country) each for a total of 15 statues for the 15 United Nations member nations that participated in the Korean War combat with casualties:
United Kingdom (1,078 killed in action: KIA)
Turkey (724 KIA)
Australia (339 KIA)
France (269 KIA)
Canada (262 KIA)
Greece (188 KIA)
Colombia (163 KIA)
The Netherlands (120 KIA)
Ethiopia (122 KIA)
The Philippines (112 KIA)
Belgium (106 KIA)
Thailand (35 KIA)
South Africa (34 KIA)
New Zealand (23 KIA)
Luxembourg (2 KIA)
Additionally, one monument each nation with non-combat support represents five United Nations member nations that provided nonbattle support:
Denmark
India
Italy
Norway
Sweden
These statues will be designed and produced by each country according to the standard specifications provided by the preparation committee and then sent to the park for installation.
The estimated budget for this phase is approximately 28 billion KRW ($20 million).
Wall of Gratitude
A Wall of Gratitude will be erected to recognize major donors and sponsoring corporations that contributed to the success of this historic project. The Wall of Gratitude will be located at the visitor information area, away from the Memorial.
Additionally, donors of smaller amounts and exceptional volunteers will be featured on the project’s website to honor their contributions.
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