Future Generations of UN Participating Nations Gather in Busan to Reaffirm the Value of Peace

144 Descendants of UN Korean War Veterans and Students from 13 Countries Participate

Descendants of Korean War veterans visited Busan, where they had a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the historical significance of the Korean War and the dedication of United Nations veterans.

The United Nations Peace Memorial Hall (Director: Heo Jae-taek) announced on July 7 that participants of an exchange camp, hosted by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, visited the memorial hall to learn about the history of the participating nations and the value of peace, and also took part in various programs to foster friendship and solidarity between countries.

Now in its 17th year, the Future Generation Exchange Camp for UN Forces Participating Countries was established to pass on the bond formed between the Republic of Korea and UN participating nations during the Korean War to future generations.

Participants at the camp cheer each other on.
Photo by UN Peace Memorial Hall

The camp is being held over seven days and six nights, from July 3 to July 9, in Seoul and Busan. A total of 144 participants, including descendants of UN Korean War veterans and general students from 13 countries, including Korea, took part in the event.

Notably, this year’s camp included five grandchildren of key figures: the grandson of Canadian veteran Vincent Courtenay, who first proposed the annual “Turn Toward Busan” movement commemorated every November at the UN Memorial Cemetery in Busan, and the grandchildren of Dr. Bernhard Cathrinus Paus, who served as Norway’s Chief Medical Officer during the Korean War. Their participation added further significance to the camp.

Lucy Paus Falck, daughter of Dr. Paus, donated 20 personal items related to her father’s service in the Korean War to the United Nations Peace Memorial Hall in 2023.

On this day, participants began their visit with a welcoming performance by the United Nations Peace Memorial Hall Children’s Choir and a greeting from Director Heo Jae-taek. They toured the exhibition halls and participated in the interactive program “Find the Clues to Peace.”

Through the process of searching for clues within the exhibition, participants naturally gained a deeper understanding of the history of each participating country and the sacrifices and dedication of the veterans.

They then took part in a variety of activities built around the contents of the exhibition.

Heo Jae-taek, Director of the United Nations Peace Memorial Hall, stated, “I hope this visit helps participants better understand the service and sacrifices of their ancestors, and becomes a meaningful time for young people from different countries to share the common value of peace. We will continue to provide international exchange opportunities for future generations around the world to understand each other’s histories and to share the value of peace.”

Meanwhile, the United Nations Peace Memorial Hall operates a variety of educational and exchange programs for youth and descendants of veterans both domestically and internationally, with the goal of promoting awareness of the history of the UN participating countries and the Korean War, and spreading the value of peace.

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