'98-Year-Old Korean War Veteran and Former Air Force Chief Kim Duman to Throw Ceremonial First Pitch on Memorial Day'

A Hero of the Skies Who Flew 102 Missions in the Korean War
A Fighter Pilot, Grandson of a Fellow War Pilot, to Bat at the Ceremony
Commemorative Flyover at Jamsil Baseball Stadium: "Please Don't Be Alarmed by the Jet Noise"

On June 6, Memorial Day, Kim Duman (98), a former Air Force Chief of Staff, Korean War veteran pilot, retired Air Force General, and a member of the 5th class of the Air Force Academy, will throw the ceremonial first pitch at a professional baseball game.

According to the Air Force on June 5, Kim will serve as the ceremonial pitcher at the 2025 KBO League game between the Doosan Bears and the Lotte Giants, which will be held on June 6 at the Seoul Sports Complex Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Kim was born in 1927 and is 98 years old this year.

On the 6th, at the professional baseball game held at the Seoul Sports Complex Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, former Air Force Chief of Staff and Korean War veteran pilot Kim Duman (left) will throw the ceremonial first pitch, and F-15K pilot Major Kang Byungjun (right) will bat. Photo by Air Force

The ceremonial batter will be Air Force Major Kang Byungjun, an F-15K pilot. Major Kang's grandfather was the late General Kang Holyun, a retired Air Force Brigadier General and a member of the 3rd class of the Air Force Academy, who served as a fellow Korean War pilot alongside Kim. Thus, a current pilot, who is the grandson of a fellow Korean War pilot, will bat against a pitch thrown by another veteran pilot. The late General Kang and Kim were senior and junior pilots who served together during the founding years of the Air Force, working at bases in Yeouido, Jeju, Sacheon, and Gangneung. During the war, they also participated together in the Air Force's first solo sortie operation and the Jirisan anti-guerilla operation.

Kim, who will throw the ceremonial first pitch, flew 102 combat missions during the Korean War and was the first in Korea to complete 100 sorties. He served as Air Force Operations Commander and as the 11th Chief of Staff of the Air Force. In recognition of his service, he received the Eulji Order of Military Merit and the Silver Star Order of Military Merit from the government, and was named one of the ten heroes of the Korean War. He is currently active as the chairman of the General Kim Shin Memorial Foundation.

Major Kang became a fighter pilot following in his grandfather's footsteps. He was commissioned in 2015 as a member of the 42nd class of the Air Force ROTC and is currently serving as the leader of the 3rd flight in the 102nd Fighter Squadron of the 11th Fighter Wing, tasked with defending the nation's airspace. In 2020, Major Kang was responsible for the escort flight that welcomed the remains of fallen soldiers returning to Korea.

In particular, the 102nd Fighter Squadron, to which Major Kang belongs, is one of the Air Force's key squadrons that participated in the Korean War. The 102nd Squadron was established in 1951 as the 12th Fighter-Bomber Squadron during the height of the Korean War and was renamed to its current designation in 1953.This squadron has operated the most advanced aircraft of its time, including the F-51D, F-86, and F-5, and since 2007 has been flying the F-15K, known as the most powerful fighter jet in Northeast Asia.

Meanwhile, before the ceremonial first pitch and batting, a moment of silence will be held in the stadium to honor the fallen heroes of the nation on Memorial Day. During this time, the Air Force band will perform a trumpet piece inside the stadium. The national anthem will be sung by Air Force band First Lieutenant Park Hyejin. After the ceremonial pitch and batting, a commemorative flyover will be conducted by a formation of four F-15K jets over Jamsil Baseball Stadium at low altitude.

The Air Force has requested the understanding of Songpa-gu residents regarding the noise from fighter jet flights before and after the event. A rehearsal flight is scheduled for June 5 from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the main commemorative flyover will take place on June 6 from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.