Pukyong National University

Korean youths expressed their gratitude to American veterans who participated in the Korean War

- the UN supporters, PKNU student peace volunteer group held VA event in the U.S.

△ Students of the UN supporters from Pukyong National University posing for a commemorative photo with American veterans of the Korean War.

“We will never forget the grace of keeping Korea’s peace by sacrificing your precious youth.”

Korean youths personally visited and expressed their gratitude to the veterans who fought as part of the UN forces during the Korean war and devoted their youth to keep peace.

On the afternoon of January 13 (local time), the Pukyong UN supporters (representative Hwang Min-Hye), a student peace volunteer group from Pukyong National University (President Jang Young-Soo), held a veteran event for Korean war veterans at the Howard County autonomous district office in Maryland, U.S.A.

Pukyong UN supporters participated in the 120th anniversary event (Korean American day) of Korean immigrants held by the Federation of Korean associations, U.S.A., and the World Korean Foundation, held this veteran event, and expressed their determination to contribute to the promotion of friendship between Korea and the United States by serving as citizen diplomatic missions.

Pukyong UN supporters is a unique volunteer group only exists in Pukyong National University that personally visits and expresses gratitude to the last living veterans of the Korean war and their families at home and abroad. Since the first foundation in 2009, it has been supporting UN-related affairs for 15 years, including visiting the world's only UN memorial park near the campus to pay tribute to war veterans, participating in the excavation of Korean War dead remains, and promoting Armistice Day, July 27.

Twelve students from the Pukyong UN supporters invited American veterans who participated in the Korean war to the event, delivered appreciation plaques and gifts prepared in advance, and held a performance wearing hanbok.

Hwang Min-Hye, a member from the UN supporters said, “It was a very respectful and an overwhelming moment for me to meet veterans who fought for peace in a faraway country at the same age as us. We will not forget the courage and sacrifice of the veterans and the war bereaved families, and we will continue to do our best in volunteer activities to show our gratitude to them.”

Mr. Jim Fisher (age 95), a veteran who participated in the event, said, “I feel overwhelmed because students came from Korea where I devoted my youth to keep peace, to see me personally and said thank you for what I have done.”

On the same day after the veterans event, Pukyong UN supporters met Mr. Jimmy Gomez, a member of the U.S. house of representatives, to introduce the UN supporters activities and ask for support from the U.S. congress. Along with this, they visited Arlington national cemetery and paid tribute to the unknown American soldiers who fought for the Korean war.

On January 16 (local time), they visited the homes of veterans including Mr. Salvatore Scarlato (age 93) living in New York and directly expressed their gratitude for defending Korea's freedom through his participation in the UN forces. <Pukyong Today>

△ Pukyong National University students holding a veterans event inviting Korean war veterans.