Systematic Management Begins at Garak and Gadeokdo National Cemeteries in Gangseo-gu, Busan
Restoration and Renovation Completed for Graves of Korean War Fallen
Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs: "From Forgotten Cemeteries to Honored National Memorials"
The Garak National Cemetery and the Gadeokdo National Cemetery in Gangseo-gu, Busan, where the remains of fallen soldiers who gave their lives for the country during the Korean War rest, have been newly renovated through systematic management at the national level.
The Busan Regional Veterans Affairs Office (Director Lee Namil) visited the two national cemeteries on June 4, where the remains of soldiers who died in the Nakdong River battles during the Korean War are interred, to inspect the memorial facilities and pay respects.
Lee Namil, Director of Busan Regional Veterans Affairs Office, paying respects. Provided by Busan Regional Veterans Affairs Office
The Garak Cemetery was established by bereaved families in 1952, and the Gadeokdo Cemetery in 1957. For decades, both cemeteries were maintained by the families and the local community. In 1996, Gangseo-gu Office took over management rights, and in June 2022, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs officially designated them as national cemeteries.
Since the designation, the Veterans Affairs Office has carried out a comprehensive renovation of the Garak National Cemetery for systematic maintenance. Graves that had been disorganized were restored, and remains that had been left without burial mounds were reinterred in a flat grave format. In addition, new gravestones, altars, flower vases, and landscaping stones were installed, and the entire cemetery's landscaping was improved, with renovations completed in August of this year.
On this day, Director Lee Namil visited the site and observed a moment of silence in front of the memorial monument for the fallen soldiers of the Korean War, honoring the sacrifice of the Republic of Korea's troops. He stated, "I hope that this place, which holds the painful memories of war, will no longer be a forgotten cemetery, but a space that the nation remembers and honors until the end."
The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs operates national cemeteries with the same level of respect and dignity as national cemeteries, striving to honor the memory of the interred and to enhance the pride of their families.
The Veterans Affairs Office also actively encourages voluntary visits and cemetery maintenance activities by organizations such as companies and schools.
Hundreds of remains of fallen soldiers are interred in the two cemeteries in Gangseo-gu, Busan. Facilities such as memorial monuments are also used as important sites for civic education and for raising security awareness among citizens.
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