PM pays tribute to U.N. veterans of Korean War at memorial event

SEOUL, Nov. 11 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Han Duck-soo paid tribute on Friday to the sacrifices of fallen troops who fought under the U.N. flag during the 1950-53 Korean War.

The war broke out on June 25, 1950, when tank-led North Korean troops invaded South Korea. The United States and 20 other allied countries fought on the side of South Korea under the U.N. flag.

"I will do my best to honor U.N. veterans," Han said at the memorial event at the U.N. Memorial Cemetery in the southeastern port city of Busan.

Han said the government will make efforts to bring more U.N. veterans to South Korea.

The remains of two late veterans from the Netherlands, Mathias Hubertus Hoogenboom and Eduard Julius Engberink, and one late British veteran, James Grundy, were laid to rest during the memorial event.

Han said South Korea "will surely defend peace on the Korean Peninsula in order to accept the noble will of the veterans."

A total of 114 bereaved families and war veterans from 15 countries also attended the ceremony.

Some 1.95 million U.N. troops from 22 countries took part in the war, which ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

kdh@yna.co.kr
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