60th Anniversary of New Zealand’s Participation in the Korean War

To remember the 60th anniversary of the start of the Korean War, a Wreath Laying ceremony will be held at the National War Memorial in Wellington this Friday, June 25. The ceremony will be attended by His Excellency The Honourable Sir Anand Satyanand GNZM, QSO Governor-General of New Zealand and Her Excellency Lady Susan Satyanand, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Mr Kwang-il Noh and his spouse Mrs Chung-wha Noh, representatives from the New Zealand Government and the Korean Community in Wellington.

Following the Wreath Laying ceremony, the Ambassador will host a reception to further thank New Zealand veterans for their sacrifices, without which the vibrant democracy and economic success that Korea now enjoys would not have been possible.

Some 6,000 New Zealanders served in the Korean War, and in recognition of their bravery, the President of the Republic of Korea, Mr Lee Myung-bak, has sent a letter to each member of the New Zealand Korean War Veterans’ Association who served during the Korean War.

An Official Ceremony to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the start of the Korean War will be held on August 21 at the War Memorial in Auckland. This auspicious event, which is scheduled to coincide with a visit by two Korean Navy ships to Auckland, is being co-hosted by the Korean Embassy and the New Zealand Government.

The Little Angels, which is a world-renowned performing arts group of young Koreans, will also visit Auckland in November to express their gratitude for the sacrifices made by New Zealanders during the Korean War. This visit to New Zealand is part of a world tour to the 16 UN-member nations that sent troops to the Korean War in 1950.

In further recognition of New Zealand’s support and friendship, the Korean Government continues to host a Revisit Korea Program for Korean War veterans. 49 New Zealand veterans will visit Korea this year, with most of the costs being met by the Korean Government.

The second Peace Camp for Youth for grandchildren of Korean War Veterans is also being hosted by the Republic of Korea this year. 27 New Zealanders have been invited to attend this camp, which will be held over two rounds from 1 to 7 July and 20 to 26 July. The Korean Government is providing assistance for those attending the Peace Camp which includes official tours and accommodation in addition to 50% of the participant’s airfares. The Peace Camp for Youth is intended to build a network for future collaboration among youths of UN Allied nations in the Korean War by inviting grandchildren of veterans.

ENDS

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