"I Will Always Remember"... Mapo-gu Patriotic Veterans Appreciation Festival Held

Hosting the National Veterans Appreciation Festival from This Year to Promote Veterans Culture and Share Values...Engaging All Generations from Children to Adults to Strengthen Veterans Awareness in Daily Life...Cultural Performances with Nostalgic Singers...Rich Side Events Including Exhibitions and Experiences

Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Gang-su) will hold the 1st National Defense and Veterans Appreciation Festival titled "Happy to Be With You" on the 14th from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Mapo Saebit Cultural Forest Lawn Plaza (around Tojeong-ro 56).

This National Defense and Veterans Appreciation Festival, held for the first time this year, was planned to remember and honor national veterans who dedicated themselves to the country and to foster a community atmosphere that appreciates their sacrifices.

The festival consists of a commemorative ceremony, cultural performances, and various side events, allowing all generations?from children to youth to adults?to enjoy together and feel the spirit of veterans in everyday life.

Before the main commemorative ceremony, Mapo-gu will conduct side events divided into three zones starting in the morning. In the exhibition zone, there will be a "Traveling Exhibition of the Independence Hall," a "Korean War Photo Exhibition," and a "Military Equipment Exhibition," along with 22 selected works from the National Defense and Veterans Children's Drawing Contest on display.

In the experience zone, various activities designed to engage children’s interest will be prepared, including "Drawing the Taegeukgi," "Taegeukgi Face Painting," and "Making Mugunghwa Necklaces." Additionally, through the quiz challenge "Heroes in Eternal Memory" hosted by comedians Kim Seung-hee and Lee Dong-yeop, festival participants will be helped to easily remember veterans’ history.

Mapo-gu also prepared a photo zone to greatly inspire participants' patriotism. This area features photo zones with backgrounds of Mugunghwa and the Taegeukgi, along with a popular photo booth called "Life Four Cuts," which is currently very popular among children and youth, allowing participants to create their own unique national defense and veterans photos.

The commemorative ceremony, starting at 3 p.m., will begin with pre-ceremony performances by a military band and a children's Taekwondo demonstration team. It will include the awarding of the Hwarang Military Merit Medal to Korean War veterans and the presentation of appreciation plaques to organizations that contributed to the spread of veterans culture. Following this, 13 winners of the National Defense and Veterans Children's Drawing Contest will be awarded, and the ceremony will conclude with a Taekwondo Martial Arts performance and a traditional drum performance themed on national defense and veterans.

The cultural performances closing the event will feature nostalgic singers such as Seo Yoo-seok, Nam Il-hae, Kim Yong-man, Song Chun-hee, Johnny Lee, and Bang Ju-yeon, aiming to touch the hearts of veterans and residents alike.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, stated, "Everything our generation enjoys is possible because of those who dedicated and sacrificed themselves for the country," adding, "Mapo-gu plans to continue holding the National Defense and Veterans Appreciation Festival annually so that all of us, especially the future generations growing up, will not forget and will remember the veterans who worked hard to protect the nation."