By Admin 
Nearly 75 years after the Korean War (1950-53), a war memorial has been constructed in the honor of Indian soldiers in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh himself and South Korea’s Veterans Affairs Minister Kuon Oh-eul were present at the inauguration of this war memorial on Thursday.
In 1950, there was a three-year long war between South Korea and North Korea. The Indian Army had sent 60 Para Field Ambulances from Agra for the treatment of soldiers injured during the war. While treating Korean soldiers amidst bullets in the battlefield, 05 Indian soldiers were martyred and some soldiers were also injured. After the war, Lieutenant Colonel (Dr) AG Rangraj, commanding officer of the Para-Field Ambulance, was awarded the Mahavir Chakra, India’s second highest gallantry award during the war.
Rajnath Singh is on Seoul tour
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is on an official visit to Seoul these days (19-21 May). During this time, this war memorial has been constructed in Imjingak Park, Seoul. The special thing is that this war memorial has been built at the same place where after the end of the Korean War, a special unit of the Indian Army, the Custodian Force of India, had temporarily constructed Hind Nagar. After the end of the Korean War, the United Nations (UN) had formed this force under the leadership of the top commander of the Indian Army, Lieutenant General Thimmaiah, for the exchange of about 22 thousand prisoners of war from both the countries. General Thimmaiah later commanded the Indian Army for a long time (1957–61).
India funded
After the inauguration of the war-memorial, Rajnath Singh shared photos on social media account Offers.” This war memorial has been prepared with the help of funding from the Defense Ministry of India. Colonel Rangraj’s family members were also present at the inauguration ceremony, who had specially reached Seoul to attend the ceremony.
After the inauguration, Rajnath Singh and South Korea’s Patriot and Veterans Minister Eul also paid tribute at the War Memorial. According to Rajnath Singh, “The indelible legacy of India’s contribution to peace and humanitarian assistance in the Korean Peninsula is truly remarkable. The shared history and sacrifices of the two countries remain the strong foundation of the India-Republic of Korea Special Strategic Partnership.”
Special Strategic Partnership
In the inauguration ceremony, Rajnath Singh also mentioned the Special Strategic Partnership between India and South Korea. On Wednesday, in the presence of Rajnath Singh and his Korean counterpart, India’s L&T and Korean company Hanwha signed an agreement on air defense guns and energy weapons. Korean K-9 Vajra guns are also manufactured in India by L&T with the help of Hanwha Company.
India’s Defense Ministry issued an official statement on the War Memorial saying that “The event was an important effort to revive and honor an important but relatively little-known chapter of India-South Korea’s shared history. The contribution of Indian personnel during the Korean War remains a powerful symbol of India’s long-standing commitment to peace, humanitarian assistance and international cooperation.”
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