On 22nd Jan 2021 the Universal Peace Federation-NZ held a luncheon banquet to honour the NZ Korean War veterans. The venue was the Rose Garden Hotel opposite the Korean War Memorial in the Sir Dove Meyer Park in Parnell Auckland.

For many, the Korean War has been sometimes referred to in the English-speaking world as "The Forgotten War" or "The Unknown War" because of the lack of public attention it received both during and after the war. Only today, 70yrs on, we can see more insightfully the meaning of this war and how it has come to effect the world.

The Korean War in many ways has never ended. No peace treaty was signed but only an armistice. The most intense demilitarized zone in the world was set up dividing a people and its families, most of whom were never to see each other again. Until today there has been very little connection.

For us in the free and democratic world, we see a ruthless dictatorship in place in the North, with no travel permitted outside the country. Except for the very few on official government business, everyone’s movements within the north are tightly controlled. They are a suffering people.

In the south what do we see, a thriving democratic nation now producing the cutting edge technology and beautiful culture enhancing our world. But more importantly, South Korea has become a bulwark again communism and its dictatorship-like management of its people. What a contrast.

Imagine if our soldiers together with the UN forces had not gone to defend the south. The whole of Korea would have become a communist state, in effect a huge prison, its leader threatening the world with an even greater force.

Perhaps no one knows this more than the co-founders of the Universal Peace Federation Rev Dr Sun Myung Moon and his wife Dr Hak Ja Han Moon who were both refugees from the north. Rev Moon was imprisoned in the north in a death camp for almost 3 years. His release was only obtained when the UN forces arrived in Incheon.

This is why the South Korean people and also the free democratic world should be forever grateful for our Korean War veterans.

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