Mayor hails 1950 Incheon landing as 'symbol of peacekeeping'

Diplomacy

Published: 17 Sep. 2023, 20:21 Updated: 17 Sep. 2023, 20:36

Mayor hails 1950 Incheon landing as 'symbol of peacekeeping'

Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok speaks at the 73rd Incheon Landing Operations Victory Ceremony at Oakwood Premier Incheon in Songdo, Incheon, Friday, attended by diplomats of countries who took part in the Korean War. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok highlighted that the Incheon landing of 1950 is a "symbol of peacekeeping for the entire world" in an event honoring the sacrifices of Allied forces who took part in the decisive operation that marked a pivotal turning point in the 1950-53 Korean War.

"The Incheon landing was a dramatic turning point in safeguarding the absolute values of freedom and peace of humanity, and a profound reason for the Korean War to be recorded as mankind's righteous victory," Yoo said in an event celebrating the 73rd anniversary of the landing operation co-organized by the Incheon Metropolitan City and the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy.

The "Incheon Landing Operations Victory Ceremony" event was held at the Oakwood Premier Hotel Incheon in Songdo, Incheon, and attended by over 20 diplomats from 13 countries that participated in the Korean War, with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lee Jong-ho giving a keynote address.

During the event, Yoo stressed that the 22 participating countries in the Korean War were united in their "value of collective security, and co-existence of freedom and peace that the whole world shared after World War II."

He said that the operation in September 1950 "marks a significant chapter in world history, comparable to the Normandy landings which also reversed the course of World War II," referring to the victorious Allied invasion of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, during World War II, commonly referred to as D-Day.

Yoo described the operation as "a great triumph that helped retake Incheon and recapture Seoul, before pushing the front to Pyongyang and Sinuiju in the north." He recognized that through the sacrifices of servicemen from these countries, Korea "achieved prosperity, stability and peace that have made it the advanced economy it is today."

The mayor then declared Incheon to be the "City of World Peace," proposing that the "rest of the world join together in a great landing here in Incheon to protect the values of freedom and peace, just as we did 73 years ago."

He noted that the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia is still marked by tension, saying it is now time to "correctly identify" the impact of the Sept. 15 landing operation in Incheon.

"Like the Normandy landings recall the horrors of World War II and highlight the value of peace, we will make the Incheon Landing Operation a symbol of peacekeeping for the entire world, going beyond South Korea and Asia," Yoo said.

Adm. Lee Jong-ho, chief of Naval Operations, gives an address at the Incheon Landing Operations Victory Ceremony at Oakwood Premier Incheon Friday, honoring the sacrifices of countries that supported South Korea during the Korean War. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Adm. Lee, who earlier in the day took part in a large-scale government ceremony marking the anniversary of the landing, similarly thanked the 22 countries who sacrificed their soldiers for South Korea.

"The Republic of Korea Navy also deeply remembers the indomitable will and courage shown by veterans and will make every effort to achieve freedom, peace and prosperity in the international community," Lee said in his address to the diplomatic corps.

He recalled that when the Korean War broke out, "countless young people from all over the world rushed to help South Korea, a country they knew nothing about," which led to some 2 million soldiers from 22 countries joining the Allied forces, with over 40,000 killed in action and over 110,000 injured or captured.

"The peace and prosperity that we enjoy today is possible because of the courage and dedication of countless veterans who sacrificed their lives to fight in an unknown, unfamiliar land," he said. He noted that South Korea, because of such support, "was able to overcome the terrible wounds and ruins of war and achieve remarkable growth and prosperity based on liberal democracy and a market economy, going from being a country that received help to a country that provides help."

Jeon Yoo-do, policy planning officer for Incheon Metropolitan City, later gave a presentation highlighting the significance of the landing operation and the future of Incheon.

Jeon highlighted Incheon's vision to become the world's greatest global city, emphasizing that the Overseas Koreans Agency, launched earlier this year, is headquartered in Incheon, serving 7.5 million Koreans living in 153 countries around the world.

He further highlighted Incheon's appeal in terms of food, shopping, transportation and lodging, as well as its focus on the bio industry and high-tech innovation industries.

The Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) was launched in 2003 and has attracted a total of 428,066 residents, including 7,922 foreigners, and the city as a whole has drawn direct foreign investments of $30.4 billion.

The city further envisions its 10 million Incheon project, meant to bring together the 7.5 million overseas Koreans and 3 million Incheon residents to create the best global city to become a hub of Korean compatriots, bringing together global businesses and establishing a worldwide network.

Participants listen to a presentation by Jeon Yoo-do, policy planning officer for Incheon Metropolitan City, highlighting the significance of the Incheon landing operation and the city’s future vision at the Oakwood Premier Incheon on Friday. [PARK SANG-MOON]

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]