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South Korean Ambassador Speaks at Korean War Veterans Memorial on 76th Anniversary
Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha spoke at the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the 76th anniversary of the 1950-53 conflict. She credited veterans with laying the foundation for the U.S.-South Korea alliance while noting North Korea's growing nuclear threat.
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South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha spoke at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington on June 26, 2026, during an event marking the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War. Yonhap reported that about 70 people attended, including war veterans and representatives from countries that participated in the conflict. "Your courage defended freedom.
Your service secured peace, and your sacrifice laid the foundation for the Korea-U.S. alliance, which continues to safeguard our shared future," Kang said. She noted South Korea's postwar rise into a trusted U.S.
Ally, a leader in high-tech and strategic industries, and a cultural powerhouse, attributing the progress to veterans who fought under the U.N. banner. Kang added that North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities continue to grow and pose an ever more serious impediment to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the broader global order.
"The threat has indeed grown, but our commitment to achieving lasting peace has not changed one bit," she said. " Bernard Champoux, former commander of the Eighth U.S. Army and vice chairman of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation, also spoke.
He said the veterans' sacrifices were not in vain and that responsibility exists to ensure Korean War veterans and their families do not fade from memory or devotion.
