UNMCK - UNITED NATIONS MEMORIAL CEMETERY IN KOREA

November 2, 2009

This edition of The Korean Veteran is being sent from Seoul, Korea

Paying Honour to Korean War Fallen at United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan on United Nations Day (October 24, 2009).

These excellent photographs from the UN Day ceremony held at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan were taken by a photographer from the Chosun Ilbo newspaper.

The funereal flags of the Nations with Fallen buried within the Cemetery were escorted along the path through the graves of our Fallen Comrades to the large stone dais below the symbolic flagged area.

A Maid of Honour in flowing gown walked behind each flag with a tablet paying tribute to the Fallen of that nation. Beside the flags are Korean Guards of Honour in traditional dress, armed with battle sabers.

At the dais the ladies performed a respectful dance.

Attending the ceremony were bereaved family members from the British Commonwealth, invited to Korea as guests of the Korean Government by Honourable Kim Yang, Korea’s Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA). The group included 19 bereaved family members from Canada (including caregivers).

The bereaved family members were to have participated in the November 11 National Ceremony of Thanks and Remembrance for Korean War Fallen, which is also held by MPVA.

The national ceremony was deferred this year, as were many discretionary Ministry of National Defence programs in Korea, because of concerns of the H1N1 flu epidemic, expected to be heavier in mid-November.

Instead of canceling the bereaved family program it was moved to October to coincide with the UN Day ceremony.

On November 11 Veterans will hold a solemn ceremony in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, placing floral tribute at the United Nations Wall of Remembrance, the Commonwealth Memorial to Those With No Known Graves and the Monument to Canadian Fallen,

At a corresponding national Turn Toward Busan service held in Canada’s capital city of Ottawa, Korean War Veterans and dignitaries from the Canadian and Korean Governments and civic groups will participate in the same global tribute from afar.

The Ottawa ceremony will be held on the evening of November 10, to coincide with the November 11 (Korea Time) morning ceremony that will be held in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan.

The Turn Toward Busan ceremony is planned and coordinated by Lieutenant Commander (Ret’d) Bill Black, president of the Korea Veterans Association of Canada National Capital Unit. He is supported by Veterans Affairs Canada and the Ministry of National Defence,