Seoul envoy says Korean War veterans' sacrifices remain 'foundation' of South Korea-U.S. alliance

South Korea's top envoy to the United States said Friday that the sacrifices made by veterans from the 1950-53 Korean War laid the foundation for the bilateral alliance, stressing that strong security cooperation is "essential" amid growing North Korean threats and other challenges.

Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha made the remarks during an event commemorating the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the war at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, underscoring that South Korea will never forget the veterans' sacrifices and will be "eternally" grateful to them.

"Your courage defended freedom. Your service secured peace, and your sacrifice laid the foundation for the Korea-U.S. alliance, which continues to safeguard our shared future," she said at the event attended by about 70 people, including war veterans and representatives from countries that participated in the war.

Noting South Korea's rise from the ashes of the war into a trusted U.S. ally, a leader in high-tech and strategic industries and a cultural powerhouse, Kang attributed it to the veterans who fought alongside South Korean troops under the United Nations banner during the war.

"Korean companies are investing in communities across the U.S., creating jobs for American families and strengthening the economic ties between our peoples, and Korean culture, from music and film to food and beauty products, is embraced and enjoyed here in America and around the world," she said.

"Yet, none of this success would have been possible without the service and sacrifice of the brave men and women who we honor today."

Kang went on to highlight the importance of the Seoul-Washington alliance, pointing to the evolving international security landscape marked by Pyongyang's escalating nuclear threats and other challenges.

"North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities continue to grow, posing an ever [more] serious impediment to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the broader global order. The threat has indeed grown, but our commitment to achieving lasting peace has not changed one bit," she said.

She added, "Our alliance, bolstered by seven decades of history as one of the world's most successful and enduring relationships, is prepared to meet these challenges."

"Working together, we show that strong alliances remain essential to meeting the challenges of our time and those still to come," she said.

At the event, Bernard Champoux, former commander of the Eighth U.S. Army and vice chairman of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation, also shared his appreciation for the veterans for having provided the foundation of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, stressing that their sacrifices were "not in vain."

"Our responsibility is to ensure that Korean War veterans and their families do not fade from our memory, nor from our devotion," he said.

Yonhap