Tag: Korean War

A true hero of the Korean War who has dedicated his life to serving his nation has passed away. Condolences to all his friends and family:

Paik Sun-yup, a South Korean military officer and a Korean War hero, died Friday at the age of 100.

Born in North Korea’s South Pyongan Province in 1920, he began his military career as an officer in the Manchukuo Imperial Army during the Japanese colonial era. Manchukuo was a puppet state established by Japan in Manchuria in northeastern China.

Paik went on to serve as a commander during the Korean War as well as Army Chief of Staff and South Korean representative during ceasefire talks.

During the Korean War, he commanded key battles including the Nakdong River Battle and in recognition of his service, he became South Korea’s first four-star general at age 33 in 1953.

After retiring as a general in 1960, he went on to become a diplomat and while serving as transport minister, he oversaw the construction of Seoul subway line one.

But due to his two-year service in the Gando Special Force, an independent battalion within the Manchukuo Imperial Army, he has been criticized as being pro-Japan.

U.S. Forces Korea Eighth Army Command in 2013 appointed him honorary commander for his service in the defense of South Korea during the Korean War.

Paik received many other honors and awards and also published several books.

KBS World Radio

I had the chance to talk to General Paik many years ago and got him to sign a copy of his book, From Pusan to Panmunjon (Memories of War).  He was fascinating to talk to because his great memory of events that occurred and people he met during the Korean War.  If you haven’t read his book I highly recommend reading it because of the ROK perspective it provides in regards to events during the Korean War.

General Paik will be buried at the National Cemetery in Daejeon instead of the National Cemetery in Seoul. This is because the newly elected National Assembly dominated by the Korean left, is planning to change the National Cemetery Act to remove the graves of “pro-Japan, anti-minjok [Korean] figures interred in the National Cemetery and install tombstones describing their pro-Japan activities.” This would effectively prevent him from being buried in the Seoul National Cemetery if passed. If General Paik was to pass away before this Act was changed he would face having his body removed from the cemetery.

So even in death General Paik cannot escape the hatred the Korean left has for him so vigorously serving his country.

It has been 70 years since the first U.S. battalion of troops entered the Korean War to fight for the freedom of South Korea. The unit was called Taskforce Smith, after Lieutenant Colonel Charles Smith who led the 1-21 Infantry Regiment into action against the North Koreans near Osan. You can read more about the battle and the monument constructed in its honor at the links below.

• Places in Korea: The Taskforce Smith Memorial
• Heroes of the Korean War: Lieutenant Colonel Charles B. Smith