Taegukgi Campaign for Unreturned War Dead

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, a national campaign called 'The 122609 Taegukgi to Find Until the End,' which aims to remember the approximately 122,609 South Korean soldiers who have not yet returned to their families, is being conducted.

On the 8th, the 70th Anniversary Korean War Project Promotion Committee (Promotion Committee) announced that it will carry out a national campaign to wear Taegukgi badges in remembrance of the 122,609 fallen soldiers of the Korean military.

This campaign began when the Kwangwoon University Public Communication Research Institute voluntarily created and distributed badges to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean War. The Promotion Committee is collaborating with private companies to promote it as an official campaign. The Taegukgi badge symbolizes the Taegukgi flag wrapped around the urns containing the remains of the fallen soldiers.

Badges with unique numbers totaling 122,609 were produced to represent the 122,609 soldiers whose remains have not yet been recovered as of this year.

The first badge will be given to Seo Geum-bong (70), the only daughter of Private Seo Byung-gu, who died in the Korean War in October 1950. Seo was born at the outbreak of the Korean War and has never called her father. Seo’s mother, who waited for her husband to return from military service but instead received a death notification, passed away in 2016 without fulfilling her wish to find her husband’s remains.

Anyone who wishes to participate in the campaign can receive a badge. NH Nonghyup Bank will distribute the badges free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis starting from the 9th via the 'All One Bank' application. GS Retail will also distribute badges free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis starting from the 15th. At 144 GS25 stores nationwide, not only Korean citizens but also foreign residents in Korea can receive the badges.

The Promotion Committee stated, "The first badge will be delivered to the bereaved family member who most earnestly awaits the remains of the fallen soldier who has not yet returned," and added, "We are gathering various opinions on who should receive the last badge, number 122,609."

The Promotion Committee plans to use the Taegukgi badge as a symbol of national remembrance representing Korea, similar to the 'Poppy' (the poppy flower), which is a symbol of remembrance in Commonwealth countries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.