Member Column-Korean War Remembered

by Grace Kim

LW contributor

The Korean War started June 25, 1950, and lasted until 1953. It began with a surprise attack by North Korea.

The Soviet Union and China helped North Korea, which had the goal of making all of Korea communist.

The well-trained and wellprepared North Korean communist army occupied most of South Korea in few days.

They kidnapped Christian and community leaders; young people were drafted into the army, and many of them were killed later.

The United States and 16 countries (UN Forces) fought for South Korea’s freedom and independence.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur, our hero, landed at Inchon harbor on Sept. 28, 1950, and regained South Korea and most of North Korea.

Koreans thought that they would have a unified democratic country.

But China sent a 300,000man army to North Korea and attacked U.N. soldiers in the freezing cold November and December of 1950.

U.S. Marines were encircled and trapped in Chosin Reservoir mountains by the Chinese Army, and many died in the fierce attack.

Gen. MacArthur ordered a temporary evacuation from North Korea.

About 200 U.S. Navy ships and Merchant Marine cargo ships assembled at Hungnam harbor to evacuate 100,000 UN forces, 18,000 tanks and vehicles, and 350,000 tons of military supplies.

Additionally, there were another 100,000 North Korean refugees waiting at Hungnam harbor with hopes of getting aboard one of those ships to flee from the communist North Korea in search of freedom.

These people were enthusiastically welcoming and supportive of U.N. forces while they were advancing to North Korea.

Lt. Gen. Edward Almond was responsible for the huge evacuation.

Initially, he refused to take in North Korean refugees and some commanding officers were against picking up these refuges, claiming that they were enemy aliens, some of whom might sabotage or plot destructive acts in the ship.

However, South Korean President Syngman Rhee, some Korean generals, and particularly Dr. Bong Hak Hyun, a personal friend and advisor to Gen. Almond, urged Gen. Almond to allow the North Korean refugees get on board ship. They argued that refugees would be killed by North Korean authorities if they were not rescued in the evacuation operation.

Finally, at the last moment, Gen. Almond sent out the OK to take these refugees to South Korea.

So 100,000 refugees were saved and transported safely to Koje Island South Korea. This Hungnam Evacuation was the largest, most successful massive military evacuation on the sea, not only in U.S. military history but also in world military history, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

During the Korean War, a half million people died, 3million were wounded, and 10 million were separated from their families. South Korea sustained 1.3 million casualties, including 415,000 dead. Casualties among other U.N. forces totaled 16,500, including 3,100 dead.

Korea is still divided by north and south, and we hope that peaceful reunification will one day be a reality on the Korean peninsula.

The Korean War is not a forgotten war.

We will never forget about all young soldiers’ sacrifices and their love of liberty and justice and democracy in Korea.

We have to say again and again to you all, “thank you and we love you.”

In Korean, we say “Go Map Sum Nida, and Sarang Hap Nida!”