South Korea established a Democratic ….

South Korea established a Democratic government in 1948. On June 25, 1950, the Korean War began with a surprise attack by North Korea. The Soviet Union and China helped North Korea in an attempt to unify Korea as a communist country. A well-trained and well-prepared North Korean Communist army occupied most of the South Korea in few days. They kidnapped Christians and community leaders. Young people were drafted into the army, and many of them were later killed.

The United States and 16 United Nations countries fought for South Korea’s freedom and independence.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur, our hero, landed in Inchon Harbor on Sept. 28, 1950, and regained South Korea and most of North Korea.

We thought that it would be a unified democratic country but China sent an army 300,000 strong and attacked U.N. soldiers in the freezing cold months of November and December 1950. U.S. Marines were encircled and trapped in Chosin Reservoir mountains by the Chinese army and many died in the fierce attacks.

Gen. MacArthur ordered a temporary evacuation from North Korea. About 200 U.S. Navy ships and Merchant Marine Cargo ships assembled at Hungnam Harbor to evacuate 100,000 U.N. forces, 18,000 tanks and vehicles and 350,000 tons of military supplies. Additionally, there were 100,000 North Korean refugees waiting at Hungnam Harbor hoping to flee North Korea aboard one of those ships. These people enthusiastically welcomed and supported U.N. forces as they advanced on North Korea.

Lt. Gen. Edward Almond was responsible for the huge evacuation. Initially he refused to take in North Korean refugees and some commanding officers opposed rescuing these refugees, claiming that they could be enemy aliens who might plot destructive acts in the ships. However, South Korean President Syngman Rhee, Korean generals and particularly Dr. Bong Hak Hyun, a personal friend and advisor to Gen. Almond urged Gen. Almond to allow the North Korean refugees aboard ships or they would be killed.

At the last moment, Gen. Almond relented saving 100,000 refugees who were safely transported to Koje Island, South Korea. This Hungnam Evacuation was the largest , most successful massive military evacuation on the sea in military history, according to “Guinness Book of World Records.”

My husband, Dr. Luke Ikchang Kim, was a pre-med student at Seoul National University, School of Medicine. He was serving in the Republic of Korea Army Intelligence Unit as an interpreter. At 20 years old, he was asked by a ship’s captain to be his interpreter.

So he experienced this historical evacuation first-hand.

During the Korean War, a half-million people died, 3 million were wounded and 10 million were separated from their families.

About 415,000 South Koreans died or wounded, 429,000 were kidnapped, 100,000 UN forces were killed and 33,629 wounded. More than 1.5 million North Koreans and Chinese died. The Korean War is not a forgotten war.

We will never forget all the young UN soldiers’ sacrifices and their love of liberty, justice and democracy in Korea We Koreans deeply appreciate and honor all the Korean War veterans. We will never forget your sufferings and sacrifices for the Freedom and Democracy for the Republic of Korea.

Without your help, South Korea would not be the successful and prosperous country we have now.

God bless America and Korean War Veterans and their families.