Owen said South Korea is most well known from the Korean War and for being an important ally of the US. The country is one of America’s “most strategic partners in Asia” in areas such as international peace and joint military cooperation, multinational trade and investment, and high-quality export items including products from companies such as Kia, Hyundai, LG, and Samsung. More recently, South Korea has become known for exporting cultural products, especially popular music, movies, dance, television dramas, and Korean foods, to a global audience.

The United Nations Memorial Cemetery was established in the city of Busan — South Korea’s second largest city behind the capital city of Seoul, with a population of around 3.4 million people — in 1951 during the Korean War.

“The United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea is truly a special place,” Owen said. “I’m certain that a few people from our region have visited Busan and the UNMCK, but I think that for many readers, this short introduction might be the one of the first times that they have heard about this special place in Busan.”

Establishing the UNMCK was part of the UN General Assembly tenth session resolution in 1995. It was established to pay tribute to those who laid down their lives in resisting aggression in Korea to help uphold the cause of peace and freedom.

A UN color guard performs the flag lowering ceremony on a July afternoon. Submitted photo

“When you visit the UNMCK, I hope you will remember that it was the second UN Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjold, who signed the documents establishing the UNMCK,” Owen said. “In 1959, the UN and the Republic of Korea finalized the ‘Agreement between the United Nations and the Republic of Korea for the establishment and maintenance of a United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea.’ These days there is a commission for the UNMCK from 11 member nations that have someone interred in the cemetery that oversees management duties of the cemetery.”

The UNMCK is the final resting place for approximately 2,237 persons from these nations who sacrificed their lives for freedom in Korea, including from nations who sent combat troops and medical assistance: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkiye, the United Kingdom, the US, Denmark, Germany, India, Italy, Norway, and Sweden. The UNMCK is open 365 days a year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and until 6 p.m. from May to September. It is located on a 35-acre site in Nam-gu in Busan.

“The UNMCK offers a dramatically peaceful place to visit and reflect on the values and traditions of the UN sacrifices during the Korean War,” Owen said. “The UNMCK is not a public park for play or sports. When you enter the UNMCK, you will come across some signs reminding visitors that the UNMCK is ‘sacred ground’ where quiet and respect are fully expected. Within the UNMCK, some of the many regulations for visitors include no smoking, no pets, no food, no drinking alcohol, no playing with or riding bicycles, and of course, no littering.”

Visiting the UNMCK is free of charge and the UN flag raising and flag lowering ceremonies are held every day at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Owen said the UNMCK property includes several sections such as the area where the UN flag and the flags of the twenty-two participating nations are located. The US contributed about 1,789,000 troops to the Korean War and about 40 Americans are presently interred at the UNMCK. From the UK, about 56,000 troops were sent, with 892 UK veterans presently interred at the UNMCK. From Canada, about 26,791 troops were sent, with 381 Canadian veterans presently interred at UNMCK. There are also Korean War veterans from Korea interred at the UNMCK.

A UN color guard near the completion of the UN flag lowering ceremony in July 2023.

“The Memorial Service Hall, designed by a Korean architect, Joong-up Kim, located on the west side of the cemetery, is another quiet space for gathering or reflection,” Owen said. “Not to be missed, is a brief documentary film on the Korean War and the UNMCK that is shown in the Memorial Service Hall, with English and other languages available. Outdoors, the UNMCK has a Wall of Remembrance with the engraved names of 40,896 veterans who sacrificed their lives under the UN combined war effort.”

Eligibility for burial at the UNMCK includes many groups, such as any people who die while serving under the UN Command in Korea, anyone who may die while serving with the UN or any UN agency in Korea, Korean War veterans, spouses of Korean War veterans who are interred at the UNMCK are eligible to be buried together, and siblings of veterans who are interred at the UNMCK, and who also served in the Korean War, are eligible to be buried together. Owen added that if a family member of a person that is eligible for burial at the UNMCK wishes to apply for interment can contact the national embassy in South Korea. The web page for the UNMCK is https://www.unmck.or.kr/eng/main/.

Owen encouraged anyone interested to come visit South Korea and the UNMCK. For those interested in visiting or learning more, Owen can be contacted at jeffreyscottowen@gmail.com.

“I have visited the UNMCK a few times and during each visit I felt a genuine feeling of brotherhood and companionship with the people of South Korea,” Owen said. “I hope that the history and deep meaning that can be felt at the UNMCK will be a part of your learning about and appreciation of the sometimes challenging but strong relationship between the people of the US and the people of South Korea.”

The UN flag and the flags of the nations that contributed troops or aid to the Korean War effort in the designated area of the UNMCK.

A view of the main grave area at the UNMCK.

The entrance to the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in South Korea. Submitted photo