2013 has been declared the Year of the Korean War Veteran by Veterans Affairs Canada.
“Our government is honoured to mark 2013 as the Year of the Korean War Veteran,” stated Steven Blaney, minister of veteran’s affairs at a ceremony in Ottawas marking the announcement in January.
“It is our duty today to pay tribute to more 26,000 Canadian men and women in uniform who came to the aid of South Koreans during the Korean War, and in particular the 516 Canadians who gave their lives in service to defend the values of peace and freedom on the Korean peninsula.”
Veterans Affairs has also launched an interactive web- site feature, Land of the Morning Calm, which is now available at veterans.gc.ca.
This feature presents Korean War history and archival footage, interviews with Korean War Veterans and an interactive history calendar. The feature is presented in broadcast style, complete with News anchor and video footage.
The Year of the Korean War Veteran coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and South Korea. The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, and active fighting ended on July 27, 1953, with the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement.
Approximately 7,000 Canadians continued to serve in the tense theatre of operations between the signing of the Armistice and the end of 1955, with some Canadian troops remaining until 1957.
The names of the 516 Canadians who died in service during the war, including the nearly 400 Canadians who lie at rest in the Republic of Korea, are inscribed in the Korean War Book of Remembrance, which is on display in the Peace Tower in Ottawa.
