Seoul to donate painting to Pentagon Korean War exhibit

A South Korean military delegation will visit Washington D.C. this week to attend an event commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Korean War armistice and donate a painting to a newly opened war exhibition at the Pentagon, the Defense Ministry here said Monday.

Gen. Jung Seung-jo, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will join the Korean delegation led by Rep. Kim Jung-hoon of the ruling Saenuri Party at the armistice event on Saturday, which will be hosted by the U.S. Department of Defense.

During the ceremony to be attended by senior U.S. officials and war veterans, the Korean delegation will hand over a painting by prominent Korean painter Lee Sung-keun, which will be displayed at the Korean War exhibit at the Pentagon building. 

The 45x45 cm ceramic painting portrays South Korea’s transformation over the past six decades from a war-ravaged nation to Asia’s cultural and economic powerhouse.

The national flags of South Korea and the U.S. lie at the painting’s center, with a message that reads, “Thank You United States of America.”

The exhibit, titled “Korea 1950-1953 The Forgotten Victory,” opened on June 18 as part of various programs to mark the alliance between South Korea and the U.S. that was forged at the end of the war.

The display, which honors Korean War veterans and helps educate the public about the “Forgotten War,” has become a part of the Pentagon tour that is seen by over 250,000 individuals each year.

On exhibition along a corridor of the Pentagon are photographs, videos, maps and other materials pertinent to the Korean War as well as uniforms and weapons used during the three-year-long conflict. Fifteen monitors show photos and names of Korean War veterans.

On July 27, 1953, the Armistice Agreement was signed bringing the war between South Korea, assisted by U.S.-led U.N. troops, and the invading North, supported by the Chinese military, to a halt.

According to the U.S. government, 36,573 American troops were killed, with 103,284 others wounded. (Yonhap News)