Yongsan-gu Hosts Patriotic Event for Veterans' Families at Yongsan Park

Seongjanghyun District Mayor, Lee Seongchun Seoul Veterans Office Chief, and 100 Others Attend Yongsan Park Partial Opening Site for Model Veterans Commendation, Commemorative Speech, Performance, and Walking Tour Over 1 Hour 30 Minutes

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Yongsan-gu (District Mayor Seongjanghyun) will hold the ‘Patriotic Family Love for the Country Event in Commemoration of the Month of Patriots and Veterans’ on the 23rd at 4 p.m. at the partially opened site of Yongsan Park (former US military officers’ quarters Complex 5, 221 Seobinggo-ro).

This is in accordance with Article 6-4 (Promotion of Meritorious Service Projects, etc.) of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Yongsan-gu Ordinance on the Honor and Support for National Patriots and Veterans.

The event will proceed for 1 hour and 30 minutes in the order of guest introductions, national ceremony, commendation of exemplary veterans, commemorative speeches, commemorative performances, and a Yongsan Park history walking tour. About 100 people including Yongsan District Mayor Seongjanghyun, Seoul Regional Veterans Office Chief Lee Seongchun, and members of veterans’ organizations will attend.

Considering the COVID-19 situation, the event content and number of attendees were minimized. In particular, for members of veterans’ organizations who are mostly elderly, attendance was limited to ‘those who have completed COVID-19 vaccination.’

There are nine exemplary veterans. Kim Sangdu (Yongsan-gu branch of the Disabled Veterans Association), An Gyeongseon (Bereaved Families of War Veterans Association), Nam Sunwoo (Widows of War Veterans Association), Joo Gwanyeong (Yongsan-gu branch of the Liberation Association), Lim Dongbok (Yongsan-gu branch of the Meritorious Service Association), Ji Dongil (Korea 6.25 War Veterans Association), Hyun Byeongjo (Yongsan-gu branch of the Vietnam War Veterans Association), Jang Yeongtae (Yongsan-gu branch of the Agent Orange Veterans Association), and Lim Dogyu (Yongsan-gu branch of the Special Mission Meritorious Persons Association) will receive the district mayor’s commendation for their contribution to the ‘Promotion of Patriotic and Veterans Culture.’

The commemorative performance is a Jin-hon-mu (鎭魂舞, Soul-Calming Dance) dedicated to the patriotic spirits who sacrificed for the country. Park Jongpil, artistic director of Iksan City Dance Company and a designated holder of Intangible Cultural Property No. 27 Seungmu (僧舞, Monk’s Dance), will perform a special show.

The Yongsan Park history walking tour is a time to explore the former US military officers’ quarters Complex 5. Visitors can freely explore the remodeled caf? (Nuribang), open house (Osundosun), and Yongsan Park exhibition space, among others. A guide affiliated with the Yongsan Cultural Center will lead the tour.

The former US military officers’ quarters Complex 5 is located where Seobinggo (西氷庫), an ice storage facility from the Joseon Dynasty, once stood. After liberation, the US military occupied this area and called it Camp Seobinggo.

After the armistice agreement in 1953, the US 8th Army Headquarters moved to Yongsan, making this area part of the Yongsan base. In the 1970s, it was used as a US military helicopter landing site, and in 1986, the site was returned to Korea. The Korea Housing Corporation (now LH) built quarters here and leased them to US military officers until 2019.

The government opened the space vacated by the US military base to citizens in August last year. This was the first time in 116 years since the ‘Restricted Area’ was declared by the Japanese colonial government in 1904. In October of the same year, the district held the ‘27th Yongsan Residents’ Day Commemoration Ceremony’ here.

Yongsan District Mayor Seongjanghyun said, “Following last year’s Residents’ Day ceremony, this year’s patriotic family love for the country event will be held on the former US military base land. Yongsan Park is gradually becoming part of our daily lives. The district will do its best to create a complete park.” He also emphasized, “During my term, I will complete the construction of the Veterans Hall and strengthen support for veterans’ organizations.”