Veteran Affairs Minister has busy itinerary in Washington

Diplomacy

Published: 25 Jul. 2022, 18:31

Veteran Affairs Minister has busy itinerary in Washington

Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-shik, center, with Annelie Weber, left, widow of Korean War veteran Col. William Weber, at their home in Maryland on Sunday. [YONHAP]

Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-shik began a week-long trip to Washington D.C. on Sunday to attend the completion of the Wall of Remembrance, dedicated to American and Korean soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War.

The Wall of Remembrance, which displays the names of 43,808 American and South Korean soldiers killed during the war at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, is scheduled to be completed on Wednesday, which also marks the 69th anniversary of the end of the war.

Park will attend the completion ceremony on behalf of President Yoon Suk-yeol, the ministry said.

The wall took nearly six years to build since the U.S. Congress enacted a law in October 2016 to authorize the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation to construct the wall.

The names were organized by rank and respective branch of service, “demonstrating how the War’s burden fell unevenly across the military,” according to the foundation.

This photo, taken July 20, shows the Wall of Remembrance, which displays the names of 43,808 U.S. and South Korean soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War, at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington. South Korea and the United States are set to dedicate the latest addition to the memorial on July 27 to mark the 69th anniversary of the end of the three-year conflict. [YONHAP]

Park visited the home of U.S. Army Col. William Weber in Maryland on Sunday, paying his respects to the family of the colonel who was not only a highly decorated veteran but also instrumental in the efforts to build the Wall of Remembrance.

Park presented the colonel’s widow, Annelie Weber, with a plaque for Korean War veterans, meant to be hung at the door to indicate to visitors that they are entering a veteran’s home.

“It is very meaningful to have the Korean War Veterans House plaque hung on the home of Col. Weber, a hero and symbol of the Korea-U.S. alliance,” Park was quoted as saying during his meeting with Mrs. Weber. “The Korean government will do its best to ensure that a stronger Korea-U.S. alliance continues into future generations.”

Mrs. Weber was reported by the Korea Daily, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily in the United States, to have expressed her gratitude, adding that had the colonel seen the plaque in person he would have been very happy.

Col. Weber died in his home in Maryland in April. Weber served in the war from 1950 but was injured in February 1951 during a battle in Wonju, where he lost his right leg and arm. Despite his injuries, the colonel remained on active duty through his retirement in 1980.
He was one of the American veterans who lobbied for the Wall of Remembrance to be built.

Park was scheduled to visit a veterans hospital in Washington on Monday, and Arlington National Cemetery to pay his respects at the graves of Col. Weber, Gen. Harris Walton Walker, first commander of the Eighth Army during the war, as well as Gen. James Alward Van Fleet and Gen. Matthew Bunker Ridgway.

Park was also set to attend on Tuesday a meeting with some 65 teachers of history and sociology to discuss textbook materials on the Korean War.

He will fly to Hawaii on Friday and pay his respects at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. He was also scheduled to meet with Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet Admiral Samuel J. Paparo Jr., and veterans of the Korean War, as well as Korean and American soldiers participating in the U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) exercises in Hawaii.

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]