Korean Government honours Greek war veterans

The Korean Government honoured Greek war veterans on Tuesday at a memorial service held in Athens on the occasion of the 69th anniversary of the Korean War.

Mr Soosuk Lim, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Greece, said he will help bring to prominence the actions and sacrifices of the Greek veterans of the Korean War, during the service which was held at the Monument of the Fallen in Papagos district, in Athens.

Lim mentioned the creation of a symbolic work of art as well as audiovisual material within a specially expanded exhibition area at the Athens War Museum, so as to highlight the significance of the participation of the Greek Expeditionary Force in the Korean War.

During his greeting, Lim expressed his gratitude and respect to the Greek veterans and family members of the deceased, and noted that Greece is a traditional ally of Korea that sent a force of 10,000 men to the Korean War to defend its freedom and democracy.

Lim praised the "seventy years of a continuously developing high-level bilateral friendship and cooperation based on special ties between the two countries, created by the expedition of the Greek Expeditionary Force in the Korean War."

In an announcement made by the Korean Embassy on Thursday, it is noted that Greece sent the Expeditionary Force - which included a land battalion, a flock of pilots and seven transport aircraft - to the Korean War as a member of the United Nations.

"The prowess and the actions of the Greek soldiers in the battles that determined the course of the war, such as Hill 381, at Nori Hill, Jangjin Lake, was known and duly noted: Of the Greek soldiers, 186 died in the battlefields and 610 were injured," says the Korean Embassy's release.

The Korean Embassy's memorial event included national hymns, the laying of wreaths and a meal, presented in honor of the veterans, accompanied by traditional Korean and Greek music performed by the Greek Air Force's officers' band.