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Introduction |
Background |
| Korea
is a nation that has been cruelly subjugated by
foreign countries throughout much of its history
of more than five thousand years. Despite the rise
and the fall of the native dynasties and foreign
suzerains, the Korean peoples have maintained independence
by devoting their lives and making tremendous self-sacrifices
for the country and the people. Nevertheless, there
has been a lack of respect for the systematic collection
and preservation of records of wars our ancestors
have fought and the historic lessons learned from
those wars. Since the gunfire of the tragic Korean
War (1950 - 1953), many important war records have
been disappeared, and the living history, the generation
who has fought the war is slowly aging and passing
away. The sacrifices and the achievements of the
ancestors of the country who have guarded the nation
and the people at every crisis and the contribution
of the United Nations Forces who participated in
the Korean War have somehow been neglected by the
country. To recognize the problems, a project to
construct the War Memorial of Korea has finally
come to fruition. The necessity to construct the
war memorial was raised numerous times. The Project
Committee of War Memorial was finally established
on Jan. 31, 1989, and the War Memorial of Korea
opened on June 10 in 1994. Since then, the War Memorial
has provided opportunities for active deployment
of projects relevant to war memorial and the study
of war history, culture art during times of war,
and the memorial enhancements to honor the veterans. |
Purpose of establishing the War Memorial of Korea |
| The
War Memorial was built to collect, preserve, and
exhibit the various historical artifacts and records
that tell the tales of the many wars fought to defend
the country from foreign invasions. The Memorial
strives to achieve the prevention of wars and to
realize peaceful unification of Korea. |
Size of the War Memorial of Korea |
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Land: 117,000§³
- Total building space: 78,000§³
- Exhibition halls: 21,000§³ |
Introduction of Exhibition Halls |
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Memorial Hall (Room in Memory of the defense of
fatherland)
The room is designed to commemorate the spirit and
the magnificent achievements of our ancestors who
fought against foreign invaders. The room exhibits
sculptures, reliefs and wall paintings that illustrate
the rise and fall of the Korean people.
- War History Room
The War History Room, which maps out the prehistoric
age to the Japanese colonial periods, displays old
military records and historical artifacts of the
meritorious achievements of the heroes during those
periods.
- Korean War Room
The Korean War Room vividly displays objects telling
the stories of the war from the background of North
Korean invasion and the progress of the war to the
signing of the Armistice Agreement and the participation
of UN forces. The room also shows the lives of people
during the war and it operates a battle experience
room to give the visitors a better understanding
of the war.
- Expeditionary Forces Room
The Expeditionary Forces Room displays a wide range
of records related to the activities and achievements
of the Korean Armed Forces in the Vietnam War, the
Gulf War, and in Peace-Keeping Operations.
- ROK Armed Forces Room
This room shows the development of the Army, Navy,
Air Force, and Marine Corps from the initial period
to the modernized state.
- Korean Defense Industries
Room
The hall exhibits cutting-edge military systems
and devices developed by Korean capital and technologies
for the self-defense of Korea.
- Large Military Equipment
Room
The Large Military Equipment Room displays a wide
range of large-size armaments used by South and
North Korean Forces during the Korean War. This
room also displays various airplanes from the ceiling.
- Outdoor Exhibition
The Outdoor Exhibition displays large-size armaments
used by South and North Korean Forces in the Korean
war, the Korean War monument to commemorate the
50th anniversary of the Korean War, and the statue
of brothers. |
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Collection of Relics |
Bust of Sun-Sin Lee, Chungmu-Gong
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Age: Joseon Dynasty
Size:
35 cm wide, and 65cm high |
Description:
1545. 4.28 - 1598.12.16.
Born in Seoul. Admiral in the Middle Joseon
Era. Defeated the Japanese invaders with a
title of Jeonra Jwasusa at Okpo, Dangpo, Hansando,
Busan, Myeongrang and Noryang in the Japanese
Invasion in 1592. died at Noryang Naval Battle
in December 1598.Promoted to First Class of
Seonu Gongsin posthumously |
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Creativity and Spirit of People |
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Age: 1993
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| Creativity
is a set of sculptures on the top and bottom
of the center in the Rooms for the Memory
of Defense of Fatherland. Water, energy and
the Sun, the sources of life, are integrated
on a hemisphere standing for the earth, and
expressed in a Taegeuk to visualize the infinite
prosperity of the country. Spirit of People
is a painting hanging on the upper wall of
the Room for Memory to the Defense of Fatherland.
The painting commemorates the ancestors killed
in wars for the fatherland, and visualizes
the infinite prosperity of the country by
expressing hopes of unity and harmony in knots. |
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The artifact displayed in the exhibition hall
of Hyeonchungsa was made in the 12th year of King
Sunjo (1812). The inscription reads, ¡®Ê©ÌÔä¨öÒÒ´ìóãéß²êÅ
ìí ýºÖ£Êø îÈÔ× ÚÓñÃܬÝá Ô´ôæîñâ©ÞÅ ì°êîâ³ Êøί ʩ༠ò®ÔðÏÏ Ü¬Ê×æµ Ë©ãá áÀÖÓÜ«âÏ
ÐÝìÒÌß â©ôÑÜ«âÏ ÚÓöÈêÀ üÜí®õÈ÷ÕñììéÛÝß²ä¨ÐÅ íþß²ô©çéõ»öÒÝ êÌÓë»õ» Ò®êÌÓì£õ».¡¯ The
size is: 88.5 cm long, and 4.4 cm caliber. The
rifle in the photo is National Treasure No. 866,
and leased to the National Museum of Korea.
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Turtle-shaped warship |
Age: Joseon Dynasty
Size:
14 m long, 4.25 m wide and 2.62 m high
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| A
battle ship used by the Joseon Navy during
the Japanese Invasion in 1592. Admiral Sun-Sin
Lee operated the battle ships to defeat the
Japanese invaders in several naval battles,
and the war situation was consequently inversed
in the favor of Joseon. There were only three
of these turtle battle ships used during the
initial phas of the Japanese Invasion, however,
the warships were far more superior to other
warships: The soldiers were hidden inside
the ship while being capable of attacking
enemies. The warships were armed with very
powerful rifles and cannons such as Cheonja
Chongtong, Jija Chongtong, Hyeonda Chongtong,
Hwangja Chongtong and Byeolhwangja Chongtong. |
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significance of the turtle battle ships were ever
increased during the late Joseon Era when the dynasty
started to build more of them and utilized them
in various applications. The common dimensions of
a turtle battle ships are: 35.3 m long, 10.6 m wide,
and 6.6 m high, except the mast. (Model in 1/2.5
ratio) |
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Diorama illustrating invasion of North Korean forces |
Age:1950
Size: 12 m diameter |
| Description:
In the early morning of June 25, 1950, the North
Korean Forces invaded the South Korea spearheaded
by the Soviet -made T-34 Tanks. The North Korean
Forces had 242 tanks, while the South Korean Forces
did not own a single tank. South Korea also did
not have anti-tank weapons. Rifles, hand grenades
and Molotov cocktails were all the weapons the South
Korean forces had. The diorama is the reproduction
of the scenes with models. |
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Uniforms of soldiers from 16 UN allies |
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Age: Korean War |
| Models
of soldiers from the 16 countries participated
in the Korean War. The soldiers from the 16
countries succeeded in defending the invasion
of the communist forces and they protected
the freedom of Korea. The forces were under
the flage of the United Nations Command despite
the differences in nationalities, and races. |
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Diorama of underground military facilities
of
Viet Cong |
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Age: Vietnam War |
| Reproduction
of underground caves of Viet Cong during the
Vietnamese War. Viet Cong employed the basic
principle of guerilla warfare of the communist
forces: Attacking during favorable situations,
and hiding during disadvantageous situations.
To utilize the guerilla strategies to the
fullest extent, the Viet Cong used natural
caves or built artificial caves. |
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installed commanding posts, armories, shot lockers,
lodgings and warehouses to operate for an extended
period. Viet Cong camouflaged the exits in ingenious
ways with shelters, tombs, fences and wells. Viet
Cong built these underground caves throughout the
operating areas to perform effective battles. |
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Standard of ROK Armed Forces Medical
Support
Corps dispatched to the Gulf War |
Age:1991
Size: 135cm wide, and 90cm high |
The
exhibited flag is the standard of ROK Armed
Forces Medical Support Corps dispatched to
the Gulf War.
Iraq invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990, and the
corps participated in the Gulf War as a member
of the multination forces on Jan. 14, 1991.
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corps consisted of 106 medical staffs and 49 supporting
staffs that treated 163 injured Iraqi, 1634 multi-nation
force soldiers, and residents in the communities.
The multi-nation forces won the war, and the corps
returned to Korea on Apr. 10, 1991 after 87 days
of service. |
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K-1 Tank |
Age:1985
Size: 8.5m long, 3.6m wide. Weight: 48 tonsh
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| A
tank designed and manufactured by the Korean
defense industries suitable for topography
unique to Korea. The tank is the major tank
of ROK armed forces exercising superior maneuverability,
fire power and Armor protection. |
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F-51 Fighter |
Age:1944
Size: 9.80 cm high and 11.3 cm wide
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| The
first fighter of ROK Air Force. The fighters
were first introduced on July 2, 1950 immediately
after the outbreak of the Korean War, and
since the first sortie at the Daegu Airbase,
it had recorded 8495 sorties until the Armistiee
Agreement truce was singed.. The ROK Air Force
destroyed the Seunghori Iron Bridge east of
Pyeongyang with only two sorties in January
1952 while the UN Air Force failed to do so
with over 500 sorties. |
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fighter was the only model operated by the ROK Air
Force during the Korean War, and it was called Bird
of Faith for its grand victory. The specifications
are 10.2 m long, 11.3m wide and 3,200 kg in weight.
The maximum speed is 786 km per hour. The fighter
is a single-seater, and it is armed with six machine
guns of 12.7 mm caliber, 450 kg bombs and 5-inch
rocket cannon. |
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How to Find Us |
- Hours of operation (Exhibition halls)
- March - October 09:30 ~ 18:00 (summer season)
- November - February: 09:30 ~ 17:00 (winter season)
- Admission to exhibition halls closes at 17:00
(winter season: 16:00)
¡Ø Outdoor exhibition: Sunrise - sunset (operatesseven
days a week) |
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Closing dates:
- Monday (the next day of holiday when Monday is
the holiday)
- We are open everyday in the months of May &
June.
- Admission fee |
| Item |
Adult |
High
school students |
Elementary
school
/kindergarten children |
Remarks |
| Individual |
3,000 Won |
2,000 Won |
2,000 Won |
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| Group |
3,000 Won |
1,500 Won |
1,000 Won |
Group discount
over 30 people |
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| ¡Ø
Free Admission: Visitors 65 years or older, persons
of distinguished services to the state and their
spouses, the disabled and his/her escort, war veterans,
Military Active duty, policemen, firefighters, members
of the War Memorial of Korea, schoolteachers, certified
tour guides. |
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Address |
| 8,
1 Ga, Yongsan-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea 140-021 |
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Tel |
| 82+
2-709-3139, 709-3039 |
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Fax |
| 82+
2-709-3100, 709-3127 |
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Information for Group Visitors |
| 82+
2-709-3034, 709-3039 |
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Experience events |
- Garden play/musical performances: 82+ 2-322-5624.
www.cosmos-21.co.kr
- Ceramics experiencing class: 82+ 2-583-3986~7.
www.sinwondoye.com
- Site experiences at DMZ: 82+ 2-749-0255~6. www.icsc.or.kr
- Experiences of Taegweondo cultures: 82+ 2-336-6556.
www.hokitkd.com1 |
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E-mail |
| warmemo@warmemo.co.kr
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The War Memorial of Korea
