For soldiers long, long ago: The United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea

The United Nations Memorial Cemetery was built in memory of the fallen UN forces in the Korean War.

Thousands lie on the hilly ground of this vast cemetery, beneath an azure sky surrounded by manicured pine trees and rose shrubs. A gentle silence hangs in the air as people wait along lined pathways, remembering the fallen heroes of the Korean War.

The war, which is technically still on, as no treaty has been signed, was fought between North and South Korea, from 1950 to 1953.

The Korean War started on June 25 of 1950, when North Korean forces backed by China and the former USSR invaded South Korea. All wars are horrible but this was one of the most destructive conflicts of modern times, with around 3 million war fatalities.

South Korea was supported by the United States and the Allied Nations. The root of this battle goes back to the invasion of Korea by Imperial Japan, in 1910. They ruled for 35 years and left post World War II on August 15, 1945. The US and the USSR then proceeded to divide Korea along the 38th parallel north latitude, thereby creating the North and the South. The North was managed by the USSR, while the South by the US.

As communist-capitalist Cold War tensions escalated, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was established in the north under the leadership of Kim Il Sung by the USSR and the Republic of Korea created in the South by the US. This just caused tensions to further rise, as each side lay claim to the Korean identity. Finally, North Korean military forces crossed into South Korea on June 25, 1950. The United Nations Security Council condemned the attack and sent forces to help South Korea. Twenty one countries were part of the Allied UN forces sent. Fighting ceased on July 27, 1953 when the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed, leading to the creation of the Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea. This was a way to return the prisoners of war.

Main Grave Area: The United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea (UNMCK) is the only UN memorial cemetery in the world, “and is the sacred, final resting place of the UN forces who served during the Korean War”, explains literature from the site. It was established by the UN Command in 1951, they maintained it until 1974. “Currently, the Commission for the UNMCK, consisting of 11 member nations that have their fallen interred in the Cemetery, oversees the overall operations of the UNMCK.” There are over 2,300 soldiers buried on the grounds from 11 countries.

In total, 22 nations supported the Republic of Korea by sending personnel. Combat aid was provided by Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, UK and USA. Medical aid was provided by Denmark, Germany, India, Italy, Norway and Sweden.

The soldiers interred in the Cemetery are mainly from Australia, Canada, France, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Korea, South Africa, Turkey, UK and USA.

Every day at 10am, there is a UN flag raising ceremony and a flag lowering ceremony at 4pm. June is of special importance as it marks the Memorial Day Commemoration of the outbreak of the Korean War.

The Cemetery comprises the Main Grave Area with flags from 22 nations, Korea and the UN flying above the interred from the 11 countries; the Veterans’ Grave Area, which was set up in 2015 as the final resting place for Korean War Veterans who wished to be buried at the Cemetery; and the Memorial Service Hall designed and built by Korean architect Joong-up Kim in 1964. Its triangular shape is meant to pay eternal tribute to the fallen troops, with a 12-minute documentary on the Korean War shown inside its main hall. It also houses memorabilia from the war including the flag used by the UN Command and troop pictures.

Layout: The Cemetery has a waterway called ‘Daunt’, named after the youngest soldier interred there – Australian Private James Patrick Daunt, 17 years.

The Memorial Hall at the UNMCK

Rose shrubs line the entire ground of the UNMCK

Near the main entrance is the Wall of Remembrance, with names of 40,890 fallen UN soldiers. Some of the other elements of the UNMCK include a UN Forces Monument built in 1978 featuring reliefs of doves representing peace. Engraved into the copper plates on its walls are the numbers of the support troops and their fallen.

Perhaps, the most haunting is the Unknown Soldiers’ Pathway built with 11 cascades, 11 fountains and 11 pine trees representing the nations of the soldiers interred.