For more than 83 million Koreans worldwide, the Korean War (1950-1953) is a fateful event that changed the course of Korean history and identity, and the future of the Korean Peninsula and people. Moreover, 1.8 million Americans served in the Korean War, nearly 40,000 were killed in action, more than 100,000 wounded, and 8,000 are still unaccounted for. Nearly 4,000 soldiers from 20 other United Nations countries died, and more than 400,000 were injured. In total, the Korean War involved 26 nations, claimed the lives of more than 5 million people (about 2.5 million Koreans) and separated more than 10 million Korean families. Yet the Two Koreas remain technically at war and the Korean Peninsula remains divided.
Sadly, the Korean War has been long referred to as the “Forgotten War” and its veterans have been unrecognized. Furthermore, worldwide commemorations marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean War on June 25, 2020, were canceled due to the global pandemic. The Korean War veterans, who are mostly in their 90’s, missed their last chance to be celebrated.
Our Contributions
The Foundation promoted recognition of the Korean War veterans and the historical significance of the Korean War by funding the development of www.KoreanWarMemorials.com, a website featuring stories of the veterans from a total of 30 countries that participated in the Korean War.
There are nearly 400 video interviews and transcripts available on the website, which also contains photos of more than 180 Korean War memorials from around the world. In addition, it uniquely features a virtual Wall of Remembrance with the names of nearly 41,000 killed worldwide in the Korean War, including more than 36,000 Americans from each US State and Territory. Visitors are able to pay tribute by leaving comments behind.
