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War Memorial (Seoul)
Encyclopedia
War Memorial of Korea is located in Yongsan-dong
, Yongsan-gu
, Seoul
, South Korea
. It was opend in 1994 on the former site of the army headquarters, it exhibits and memorialises the Military history of Korea
. It has six indoor exhibition rooms and an outdoor exhibition centre displaying over 13,000 war memorabilia and military equipment.
The Korean peninsula has seen many wars among and within its states as well as intrusions from neighboring powers. Over the centuries, the southern states slowly seized territory from the neighbouring states and peoples such as the Jurchen, driving the border north and consolidating the peninsula under a single state, suffering several invasions that its allies helped to overcome. The War Memorial was built to commemorate actors and victims in the wars which led to the modern nation state. The museum also has the purpose of educating future generations by collecting, preserving, and exhibiting various historical relics and records related to the many wars fought in the country from a South Korean perspective.
In cloistered left and right galleries flanking the facade of the main building are rows of black marble monuments inscribed with the names of those who died during the Korean and Vietnam Wars and of policemen who died on duty. The plaza in the museum compound has an artificial waterfall, and around it are widespread rest areas so that visitors can picnic while enjoying the pleasant landscape. In the center of the plaza stands the Statue of Brothers
, the elder a South Korean soldier and the younger a North Korean soldier, which symbolizes the situation of Korea's division
.
13,000 items are displayed in its six halls under different themes: Memorial Hall, War History, Korean War
, Expeditionary Forces Room, ROK Armed Forces Room, and Large Equipment Room, plus the outside exhibition area. Displayed are various weapons and equipment from prehistoric times to the modern period as well as paintings of battlefields and sculptures of notable warriors and An Jung-geun
, who assassinated a former Resident-General
in Manchuria in 1909. About 100 large weapons are displayed in the outside exhibition area on the lawns around the building.
. The special audiovisual effects, lighting, vibration, and even gunpowder odor make visitors feel as if they are right on the battlefield.
Yongsan-dong, Seoul
Yongsan-dong is a ward of Yongsan-gu in Seoul, South Korea.-External links:...
, Yongsan-gu
Yongsan-gu
Yongsan-gu is a district of Seoul, South Korea. Its name means "Dragon Hill", derived from the hanja characters for dragon and hill/mountain . It sits to the North of the Han River under the shadow of Seoul Tower. Geographically, it is located right in the center of Seoul. It is home to roughly...
, Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. It was opend in 1994 on the former site of the army headquarters, it exhibits and memorialises the Military history of Korea
Military history of Korea
Koreas military history spans back thousands of years, beginning with the early struggles of the ancient Kingdom of Gojoseon. Its long history consists of the many successful repulsions of major invasions and defensive against foreign invasions...
. It has six indoor exhibition rooms and an outdoor exhibition centre displaying over 13,000 war memorabilia and military equipment.
History
Construction
The construction of the War Memorial of Korea was completed in December 1993. The project was carried in consultation with war experts while collecting a wide range of exhibition items at home and from abroad. Upon the completion of the interior the War Memorial of Korea opened officially on June 10, 1994, and became the largest landmark of its kind in the world.Surrounding area
Located on the old site of Army Headquarters, the War Memorial of Korea accommodates four aboveground floors and two underground floors in the main building, which stands on an area of about 20,000 square meters. On the green area around the memorial, loudspeaker emissions to foster patriotic spirit can be heard.In cloistered left and right galleries flanking the facade of the main building are rows of black marble monuments inscribed with the names of those who died during the Korean and Vietnam Wars and of policemen who died on duty. The plaza in the museum compound has an artificial waterfall, and around it are widespread rest areas so that visitors can picnic while enjoying the pleasant landscape. In the center of the plaza stands the Statue of Brothers
Statue of Brothers
The Statue of Brothers is a symbol of the Korean War at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul. Its English text reads as follows :The statue is located in the south-west corner of the exterior exhibit area....
, the elder a South Korean soldier and the younger a North Korean soldier, which symbolizes the situation of Korea's division
Division of Korea
The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan's 35-year colonial rule of Korea. In a proposal opposed by nearly all Koreans, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to temporarily occupy the country as a trusteeship...
.
Exhibition areas
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Expeditionary Forces Room, ROK Armed Forces Room, and Large Equipment Room, plus the outside exhibition area. Displayed are various weapons and equipment from prehistoric times to the modern period as well as paintings of battlefields and sculptures of notable warriors and An Jung-geun
An Jung-geun
An Jung-geun or Ahn Jung-geun was a Korean independence activist, nationalist, and pan-Asianist....
, who assassinated a former Resident-General
Governor-General of Korea
The post of Japanese Governor-General of Korea served as the chief administrator of the Japanese government in Korea while it was held as the Japanese colony of Chōsen from 1910 to 1945...
in Manchuria in 1909. About 100 large weapons are displayed in the outside exhibition area on the lawns around the building.
Memorial Hall
Upon entering the memorial halls, this English text is inscribed :
Inscribed on this memorial is the names of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces Soldiers and Policemen killed in the Armed Forces Activation, Korean WarKorean WarThe Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and Counter Infiltration Operation and the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Forces Soldiers killed in the Korean War.
Combat Experience Room
The Combat Experience Room provides a special opportunity for visitors to vividly experience life and death situations in night combat which soldiers went through during the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The special audiovisual effects, lighting, vibration, and even gunpowder odor make visitors feel as if they are right on the battlefield.
See also
- Korean War Veterans MemorialKorean War Veterans MemorialThe Korean War Veterans Memorial is located in Washington, D.C.'s West Potomac Park, southeast of the Lincoln Memorial and just south of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall...
, Washington, D.C. - Korean War Memorial, CanberraKorean War Memorial, CanberraThe Australian National Korean War Memorial is on ANZAC Parade, the principal ceremonial and memorial avenue in Canberra, the national capital city of Australia....
, Australia - Korean War Memorial WallKorean War Memorial Wall (Canada)The Korean War Memorial Wall at Meadowvale Cemetery in Brampton, Ontario commemorates those Canadians who served in the Korean War.The wall is a curved -long polished granite wall. It contains 516 bronze plaques, one for each of the volunteer Canadian soldiers who died in Korea. A central bronze...
, Ontario, Canada. - National War MemorialNational War MemorialThere are numerous monuments around the world designated As a National War Memorial:*National War Memorial *National War Memorial *National War Memorial *National War Memorial...
New Zealand - Korean WarKorean WarThe Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
- Gapyeong Canada MonumentGapyeong Canada MonumentThe Gapyeong Canada Monument is a monument erected to commemorate the sacrifice of the Canadian Forces during the Korean War, especially at the Battle of Kapyong in the Canadian Korean War Memorial Garden...