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September 24, 2024 TruthUSA

SEOUL, South Korea—South Korea hosted the first joint Korean War POW/MIA Recognition Day with the United States in Seoul on Sept. 21. The event honored American soldiers who were prisoners of war (POWs) or went missing in action (MIA) during the Korean War.

Since 1979, POW/MIA Recognition Day has been observed in the United States and worldwide on the third Friday of September. More than 80,000 American soldiers have never made it home, including more than 7,000 from the Korean War.

The Sept. 21 event, the first of its kind in South Korea, was held when the military alliance between the two nations was strengthening.

The ceremony was organized by Remember Together 7697, a group named after the 7,697 U.S. soldiers still unaccounted for at the time of its founding in 2018. While 232 sets of remains have been repatriated over the past six years, more than 7,400 soldiers remain missing, with around 5,300 believed to be in North Korea.

Chae Woo-seok, chairman of the Korea Defense Industry Association, highlighted the role of U.S. soldiers in helping South Korea rebuild after the war. In a gesture of appreciation, he presented a book on the history of South Korea’s defense industry to the U.S. soldiers stationed in South Korea.

“Through this book, you will see how Korea, once without even a single rifle, has grown to the point of exporting self-propelled guns, tanks, and submarines. I hope this allows you to take pride in the role you played in the development of the Republic of Korea,” he said.

As a token of gratitude, the U.S. side presented a folded American flag to Han Jung-yoon, chairman of Remember Together 7697, and another was given to be delivered to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. The event concluded with participants laying flowers at the memorial for fallen soldiers.

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