Lee Young-hoon, fourth from right, chairman of the Korean War U.N. Veterans Memorial Association and senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, poses with John Tilelli, third from right, chairman of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation, and other Korean and U.S. representatives during their meeting in Virginia, Tuesday. (local time). Courtesy of Yoido Full Gospel Church
The ambitious vision to build a memorial park for U.N. veterans in the heart of Seoul has gained significant momentum following a high-level meeting between South Korean and U.S. representatives.
Lee Young-hoon, chairman of the Korean War U.N. Veterans Memorial Association and senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, reaffirmed the joint commitment during a meeting with the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation (KWVMF) in Virginia, Tuesday (local time).
Lee and KWVMF Chairman John Tilelli, a former commander of U.S. Forces Korea, signed a formal agreement and issued a joint statement to cooperate on establishing the tentatively named "U.N. Veterans Memorial Park" in Seoul. The project aims to preserve historical truths and stand as a symbol of the unwavering alliance forged during the 1950-53 Korean War.
The brutal three-year struggle ended in a stalemate with an armistice agreement, which resulted in the long-standing division of the Korean Peninsula into North and South, demarcated by the Demilitarized Zone.
The association, officially launched in November 2025 following an inaugural assembly, was founded to make sure that the noble sacrifices of young soldiers from the U.S. and 15 other nations during the war are never forgotten.
Lee has consistently emphasized that this project is a long-term commitment to ensure that the historical truth of their sacrifice is preserved for future generations.
Under the partnership, the Korean association will spearhead site selection, coordinate with the South Korean government and launch a nationwide public fundraising campaign. The U.S.-based KWVMF has pledged to provide technical expertise and leverage its extensive international network to support the project’s global reach.
The memorial is expected to take inspiration from the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., which features the iconic 19 servicemen statues and a Wall of Remembrance bearing the names of over 45,000 fallen soldiers.
As part of ongoing efforts to bolster public awareness, the Korean delegation also invited U.S. officials to the Korea-U.S. Friendship Peace Concert, scheduled to take place at Seoul Arts Center on June 20.
Source: Korea Times News
