Busan Regional Patriots and Veterans Affairs Office Selects "Memorial Monument for Sergeant Lee Sangjun of the Cheonan Ship Incident" as February's Memorial Facility

Located within Geon-guk High School grounds
Honoring the sacrifice of the Cheonan ship victims

The Busan Regional Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (Director Namil Lee) is promoting 'Memorial Facility of the Month' to raise public awareness of memorial sites and to spread a culture of honoring veterans in daily life.

For February 2026, the 'Memorial Facility of the Month' has been selected as the 'Memorial Monument for Sergeant Lee Sangjun of the Cheonan Ship Incident,' located on the grounds of Geon-guk High School in Saha-gu, Busan.

Memorial Monument for Sergeant Lee Sangjun of the Cheonan Ship Incident.

The late Sergeant Lee Sangjun served as an ordnance petty officer on the Cheonan ship, part of the 22nd Squadron of the Navy's 2nd Fleet. On March 26, 2010, while conducting a security operation near Baengnyeong Island, he was killed in action when the Cheonan was sunk by a surprise torpedo attack from a North Korean submarine. He was posthumously awarded the Hwarang Order of Military Merit and promoted to the rank of sergeant.

The memorial monument was erected in 2014 to honor Sergeant Lee Sangjun's spirit of sacrifice, as he gave his precious life for his country during the Cheonan incident. In the same year, it was designated as a memorial facility by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (now the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs).

The government has designated the fourth Friday of every March as 'West Sea Defense Day' to commemorate and honor the sacrifices of heroes who died defending the nation in incidents such as the Cheonan sinking, the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong (2002), and the Bombardment of Yeonpyeong Island (2010), all of which were North Korean provocations in the West Sea. This day serves as a reaffirmation of the nation's commitment to territorial defense.

The Busan Regional Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs continues to promote the establishment and designation of memorial facilities so that the noble sacrifices and contributions of those who served the nation can be remembered in everyday life. Through these efforts, the office aims to spread a culture of respect and honor among citizens and to pass on the value of patriotism to future generations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.