The War Memorial of Korea is a museum located in Yongsan-dong,

Yongsan-gu Yongsan District (, ) is one of the 25 districts of Seoul, South Korea. Yongsan has a population of 231,685 (2020) and has a geographic area of , and is divided into 19 '' dong'' (administrative neighborhoods). Yongsan is located in central Seoul ...

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

. It opened in 1994 on the former site of the army headquarters to exhibit and memorialize the

military history of Korea Korea's military history spans thousands of years, beginning with the ancient nation of Gojoseon and continuing into the present day with the countries of North Korea and South Korea, and is notable for its many successful triumphs over invaders ...

. It was built for the purpose of preventing war through lessons from the

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top: ...

and for the hoped for peaceful reunification of North and South Korea. The memorial building has six indoor exhibition rooms and an outdoor exhibition centre displaying war memorabilia and military equipment from China, South Korea and the United States.

History

The War Memorial was built to commemorate the military veterans 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.

Construction

The construction of the War Memorial of Korea was completed in December 1993. The project was carried out in consultation with military experts while collecting a wide range of exhibition items at home and abroad. Upon the completion of the interior, the memorial opened officially on June 10, 1994, and became the largest landmark of its kind in the world.

Surrounding area

The Statue of Brothers (Seoul War Memorial)

Located on the old site of Army Headquarters, the War Memorial of Korea has four aboveground floors and two underground floors in the main building, which stands on an area of about . On the grounds around the memorial, there are loudspeakers that broadcast patriotic messages. 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

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

, clashes with North Korea since the Korean War and of policemen who died on duty. The plaza in the museum compound has an

artificial waterfall An artificial waterfall is a water feature or fountain which imitates a natural waterfall. Artificial waterfalls have long been featured in traditional Japanese gardens, where they can serve to highlight a scene or to provide focus. The classic ...

, 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 Statue of Brothers () is a symbol of the Korean War at the War Memorial of Korea The War Memorial of Korea is a museum located in Yongsan-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It opened in 1994 on the former site of the army headquarters ...

, the elder a South Korean soldier and the younger a North Korean soldier, which symbolizes the situation of Korea's division.

Public transportation

Samgakji Station exit 12 Samgakji Station exit 12

Exhibition areas

13,000 items are displayed in six halls under different themes: Memorial Hall, War History, Korean War, Expeditionary Forces, ROK Armed Forces, and Large Equipment, plus the outside exhibition area. There are weapons and equipment from prehistoric times to the modern period as well as paintings of battlefields and sculptures of notable warriors and of

An Jung-geun Ahn Jung-geun, sometimes spelled Ahn Joong-keun (; 2 September 1879 – 26 March 1910; baptismal name: Thomas Ahn ), was a Korean-independence activist, nationalist, and pan-Asianist. He is famous for assassination of Itō Hirobumi, the firs ...

, who assassinated a former

Resident-General A resident minister, or resident for short, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indi ...

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 are the names of the
Republic of Korea Armed Forces The Republic of Korea Armed Forces (), also known as the ROK Armed Forces, are the armed forces of South Korea. The ROK Armed Forces is one of the largest and most powerful standing armed forces in the world with a reported personnel strength of ...
Soldiers and Policemen killed in the Armed Forces Activation, Korean War, Vietnam War and Counter Infiltration Operation and the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...
Forces Soldiers killed in the Korean War.

Indoor displays

Objects on display inside include: * Full-sized replica of a

turtle ship A ''Geobukseon'' ( ko, script=Hang, 거북선, ), also known as turtle ship in western descriptions, was a type of large Korean warship that was used intermittently by the Royal Korean Navy during the Joseon dynasty from the early 15th century ...

T-34/85 The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank introduced in 1940. When introduced its 76.2 mm (3 in) tank gun was less powerful than its contemporaries while its 60-degree sloped armour provided good protection against anti-tank weapons. The C ...

tank * MiG-15UTI Midget, a trainer variant of the MiG-15 Fagot fighter aircraft. * Piper L-4J Grasshopper observation aircraft, shown being used as an improved bomber during the Korean War. * Stinson L-5G Sentinel observation aircraft * Hiller OH-23G Raven observation helicopter *

Yakovlev Yak-18 The Yakovlev Yak-18 (russian: Яковлев Як-18; NATO reporting name Max) is a tandem two-seat military primary trainer aircraft manufactured in the Soviet Union. Originally powered by one 119 kW (160 hp) Shvetsov M-11FR-1 radia ...

trainer aircraft * North American AT-6F Texan * Soviet-made ZIL ZIS-110 limousine formerly used by

Kim Il Sung Kim Il-sung (; , ; born Kim Song-ju, ; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he ruled from the country's establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of ...

Outdoor display area

Items on display include: Fixed-wing aircraft: *

de Havilland Canada U-6A Beaver The de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver is a single-engined high-wing propeller-driven short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft developed and manufactured by de Havilland Canada. It has been primarily operated as a bush plane and has been used f ...

51-16837 (manufacturer number 386 and 1190). This aircraft was delivered to the U.S. Army as an L-20A on October 24, 1952. In 1962, this type of aircraft was re-designated the U-6A Beaver. Under the Military Assistance Program, it was transferred to the Republic of Korea Air Force. * Antonov An-2 "Colt" * Curtiss C-46D-20-CU Commando 44-78541. This aircraft was built in 1944. This aircraft served with the 45th Troop Carrier Troop Squadron in the Pacific Theater during WWII. It was eventually operated as a TC-46D Commando training aircraft by the 2578th Reserve Flying Training Center at

Ellington AFB Ellington Airport is a public and military use airport in Harris County, Texas, United States. It is owned by the City of Houston's department of aviation, Houston Airport System and located southeast of downtown Houston. Formerly known as ...

, Texas until being mothballed in April 1956.It returned to service with the 1st Air Commando Wing at

Eglin AFB Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in the western Florida Panhandle, located about southwest of Valparaiso in Okaloosa County. The host unit at Eglin is the 96th Test Wing (formerly the 96th Air Base Wing). Th ...

, Florida in 1963. It was finally transferred to the ROKAF as part of the Cold War-era Military Assistance Program on September 25, 1968. * Fairchild C-123J Provider 56-4389. This aircraft was built in 1956 as a C-123B and later converted to a C-123J in the 1960s. This aircraft served with the Alaska ANG's

176th Tactical Airlift Group The 176th Wing (176 WG) is a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard, stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), Anchorage, Alaska. If activated to federal service, components of the Wing are gained by several United States Air Force ...

Kulis ANGB Kulis Air National Guard Base was a National Guard of the United States facility in Anchorage, Alaska. The facility adjacent to and south of Ted Stevens International Airport was home to the 176th Wing of the Alaska Air National Guard until that ...

, Alaska, servicing

Alaskan Air Command Alaskan Air Command (AAC) is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command originally established in 1942 under the United States Army Air Forces. Its mission was to organize and administer the air defense system of Alaska, exercise dire ...

radar sites until it was retired on January 21, 1976 and sent to

MASDC The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (309th AMARG),Offici ...

. On May 5, 1977, it was sent to Korea as part of the Military Assistance Program. *

Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Navy and Marine Corps designation R4Q) was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechani ...

marked as 53-3199. Formerly a C-119F, it was converted into a C-119G between 1955 and 1957 before being transferred to the

Republic of China Air Force The Republic of China Air Force, retroactively known by its historical name the Chinese Air Force and unofficially referred to as the Taiwanese Air Force, is the military aviation branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces, currently based ...

in 1970. It was later donated to the War Memorial of Korea and repainted with USAF markings. * Boeing B-52D Stratofortress 55-0105. This aircraft is one of only three B-52s displayed outside the US. Served with the 4258th Strategic Wing at U-Tapao RTAFB in Thailand during the Vietnam War and the 96th Bombardment Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas. It is currently on a long-term loan to the War Memorial of Korea. * Grumman S-2A Tracker 13-6707. This aircraft served with the US Navy’s Air Anti-Submarine Squadron 28 (VS-28) (initially nicknamed the “Hukkers” and later, the "Gamblers") aboard USS Wasp (CVS-18) beginning in 1962. Eventually, it was retired and transferred to

ROKAF The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF; ko, 대한민국 공군; RR: ''Daehanminguk Gong-gun''), also known as the ROK Air Force or South Korean Air Force, is the aerial warfare service branch of South Korea, operating under the Ministry of N ...

in 1972. During a reorganization of the Korean armed forces, it was later reassigned to the ROK Navy. * North American F-51D-25-NA Mustang 44-73494. This aircraft was built at North American Aviation's Inglewood, California plant in 1944. It eventually served with the

109th Fighter Squadron The 109th Airlift Squadron (109 AS) is a unit of the Minnesota Air National Guard 133d Airlift Wing located at Minneapolis–Saint Paul Joint Air Reserve Station, Minnesota. The squadron is equipped with the C-130H Hercules. The 109th AS is the ...

of the Minnesota ANG, where it was stationed until 1952. In July of that year, it was transferred to the ROKAF as aircraft to serve in the

, marked as aircraft "K-205". *

North American F-86F-30-NA Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Sov ...

52-4308. The aircraft flew with the

3200th Proof Test Group The 3200th Proof Test Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last active with the Air Armament Center, based at Eglin AFB, Florida. It was inactivated on 1 July 1953. History Established by the Air Armament Center at Eglin ...

, Florida beginning in 1953. It was then transferred to ROKAF in 1955. * North American F-86D-35-NA Sabre 51-8502. This aircraft served with the USAF’s

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was established in 1946, briefly ina ...

before being transferred to the ROKAF. * Northrop F-5A-40-NO Freedom Fighter 68-9046 (construction number 6412). This aircraft was one of the 190 F-5A airframes made for the ROKAF. It has a long serving career, flying with the ROKAF as late as 2000. It is currently painted with the twin tiger head insignia applied to all ROKAF F-5s. * McDonnell Douglas F-4C-23-MC Phantom II 64-0766. This aircraft served with the USAF’s

12th Tactical Fighter Wing The 12th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. The wing is the parent organization for the 479th Flyin ...

in the

from 1967 to 1970. It was transferred to the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing at Kunsan AB, South Korea. It was later used to train USAF air crews and went on to fly with the Illinois ANG’s 170th Tactical Fighter Squadron and the Oregon ANG’s 123rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron. After its flying career ended, it was transferred to

Suwon AB Suwon Air Base is a Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) base near Suwon city. Units The base is home to the ROKAF's 10th Fighter Wing (제10전투비행단), comprising: *101st Fighter Squadron flying KF-5E/KF-5F/F-5F *153rd Fighter Squadron ...

, South Korea in August 1986 to be used as damage-control trainer before being put on display at the War Memorial of Korea. *

Shenyang J-6 The Shenyang J-6 ( Chinese: 歼-6; designated F-6 for export versions; NATO reporting name: Farmer) is the Chinese-built version of the Soviet MiG-19 'Farmer' fighter aircraft, the world's first mass-produced supersonic aircraft. Design ...

. This aircraft is a Chinese-made copy of the Soviet MiG-19 "Farmer". This particular aircraft was flown by KPAF defector Captain Lee Ung-Pyeong to South Korea 25 February 1983. * Cessna T-41B Mescalero 67-15054. This aircraft flew with U.S. Army until it was sent to the ROKAF in 1971 as part of the Military Assistance Program to be used as a trainer. It is now marked "T-045." *

North American T-28A Trojan The North American Aviation T-28 Trojan is a radial-engine military trainer aircraft manufactured by North American Aviation and used by the United States Air Force and United States Navy beginning in the 1950s. Besides its use as a trainer, ...

51-7830. This aircraft was flown by the USAF as a trainer before being sent to the ROKAF in February 1961. This aircraft still wears its USAF "TA-830" buzz number. *

Lockheed T-33A-1-LO Shooting Star The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star (or T-Bird) is an American subsonic jet trainer. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then ...

53-5129. This aircraft flew with the USAF as a trainer until being sent to South Korea as part of the

Foreign Military Sales The United States Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defense equipment, defense services, and military training to foreign governments. The purchaser does not deal directly with the defense ...

program. It is still marked with a USAF-style "TR-129" buzz number. * Cessna T-37C Tweet 72-1366. This aircraft was sold to the Republic of Korea Air Force and marked as "21366.". This aircraft type served with the ROKAF as a trainer, FAC, and light attack aircraft. * KTX-1 Yeo-myung, prototype for the production

KAI KT-1 Woongbi The KAI KT-1 Woongbi (Hangul: KT-1 웅비) is a South Korean single-engined turboprop, basic training aircraft. It was jointly developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and the Agency for Defence Development (ADD). Development Origins The ...

advanced trainer. *

Cessna O-1 Bird Dog The Cessna L-19/O-1 Bird Dog is a liaison and observation aircraft. It was the first all-metal fixed-wing aircraft ordered for and by the United States Army following the Army Air Forces' separation from it in 1947. The Bird Dog had a lengt ...

112537. * Buwalho, the first domestically-produced Korean aircraft. Helicopters * Bell AH-1J “International Cobra” 29066. This helicopter was one of eight TOW-capable AH-1J helicopters sold to the ROK Army in 1978. *

Bell UH-1B Iroquois The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helico ...

62-12542. This helicopter formerly served as a helicopter gunship with the U.S. Navy’s HA(L)-3 Seawolves in the

before being transferred to the South Korean air force. * Sikorsky H-5H Dragonfly 49-2007. This helicopter was built 1949 under a USAF contract. For November 1960 to May 1960, it served with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as N6591D before being donated to the USAF Museum and eventually loaned to the War Memorial of Korea. * Sikorsky HH-19B Chickasaw 53-4425. This helicopter was delivered to the USAF as a H-19B on September 2, 1954. It served in the USAF as a troop carrier and was eventually modified for air-sea rescue work and re-designated as an SH-19B (in 1962, all SH-19Bs were re-designated as HH-19Bs). It was eventually sent to the ROKAF in 1964. * Aerospatiale SA319B Alouette III 770301. This helicopter formerly served with the ROK Navy. This aircraft sank a DPRK infiltration craft disguised as a fishing vessel with AS.11 missiles on 13 August 1983, killing 5 North Korean servicemen. This helicopter is painted with a kill marking commemorating the event. * Bell OH-13H Sioux Armored Vehicles: * Two M4A3E8 Shermans *

tank *

M36 tank destroyer The M36 tank destroyer, formally 90 mm Gun Motor Carriage, M36, was an American tank destroyer used during World War II. The M36 combined the hull of the M10 tank destroyer, which used the M4 Sherman's reliable chassis and drivetrain combine ...

* M56 Scorpion *

M46 Patton The M46 Patton is an American medium tank designed to replace the M26 Pershing and M4 Sherman. It was one of the U.S Army's principal medium tanks of the early Cold War, with models in service from 1949 until the mid-1950s. It was not widely u ...

M47 Patton The M47 Patton was an American main battle tank, a development of the M46 Patton mounting an updated turret, and was in turn further developed as the M48 Patton. It was the second American tank to be named after General George S. Patton, comma ...

M48 Patton The M48 Patton is an American List of main battle tanks by generation#First generation, first-generation main battle tank (MBT) introduced in February 1952, being designated as the 90mm Gun Tank: M48. It was designed as a replacement for the M2 ...

* K1 88-Tank *

SU-100 The SU-100 ('' Samokhodnaya Ustanovka'' 100) was a Soviet tank destroyer armed with the D-10S 100 mm anti-tank gun in a casemate superstructure. It was used extensively during the last year of World War II and saw service for many years ...

* Type 59 * Type 63 * M113 APC * M557 command vehicle * M125 81mm mortar carrier *

K200 KIFV The K200 KIFV (Korea Infantry Fighting Vehicle) is a South Korean armored personnel carrier, originally produced by Daewoo Heavy Industries as a domestic replacement for older armored personnel carriers, such as the M113, in front line servi ...

LVTP-7 The Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV)—official designation AAVP-7A1 (formerly known as Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Personnel-7 abbr. LVTP-7)—is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by U.S. Combat Systems (previously by Unit ...

* LVT-3 Bushmaster amphtrack Artillery and Anti-Aircraft Guns: * BM-13-16N Katyusha rocket launcher * ZiS-3 76mm divisional gun * M1938 120mm mortar * M101 105mm howitzer * M107 175mm self-propelled gun * M110 8 inch howitzer *

M114 155 mm howitzer The M114 is a towed howitzer developed and used by the United States Army. It was first produced in 1942 as a medium artillery piece under the designation of 155 mm Howitzer M1. It saw service with the US Army during World War II, the Korean ...

* M1937 152mm howitzer-gun * 90mm anti-aircraft gun * 90mm T8 anti-tank gun *

ZPU-4 The ZPU (, meaning "anti-aircraft machine gun mount") is a family of towed anti-aircraft gun based on the Soviet 14.5×114mm KPV heavy machine gun. It entered service with the Soviet Union in 1949 and is used by over 50 countries worldwide. ...

M167 VADS The M167 Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS) is a towed, short-range United States Army anti-aircraft gun designed to protect forward area combat elements and rear area critical assets. It was also used to protect U.S. Air Force warplane airfield ...

Oerlikon 20 mm cannon The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original German Becker Type M2 20 mm cannon design that appeared very early in World War I. It was widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others, with various models emp ...

on naval single and dual mounts *

Bofors 40 mm Bofors 40 mm gun is a name or designation given to two models of 40 mm calibre anti-aircraft guns designed and developed by the Swedish company Bofors: * Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun - developed in the 1930s, widely used in World War II and into the 199 ...

on naval quad and mounts * 5-inch gun in single mount from an ex-ROK Navy

Fletcher-class destroyer The ''Fletcher'' class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the and classes. Some went on to serv ...

Missiles: *

MIM-14 Nike Hercules The Nike Hercules, initially designated SAM-A-25 and later MIM-14, was a surface-to-air missile (SAM) used by U.S. and NATO armed forces for medium- and high-altitude long-range air defense. It was normally armed with the W31 nuclear warhead, but ...

MIM-23 Hawk The Raytheon MIM-23 HAWK ("Homing all the way killer") is an American medium-range surface-to-air missile. It was designed to be a much more mobile counterpart to the MIM-14 Nike Hercules, trading off range and altitude capability for a much s ...

Scud missile A Scud missile is one of a series of tactical ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was exported widely to both Second and Third World countries. The term comes from the NATO reporting name attached to th ...

MGM-52 Lance The MGM-52 Lance was a mobile field artillery tactical surface-to-surface missile ( tactical ballistic missile) system used to provide both nuclear and conventional fire support to the United States Army. The missile's warhead was developed at L ...

Vessels: *

Chamsuri-class patrol boat ''Chamsuri''-class patrol vessels (Hangul: 참수리급 고속정) are naval boats that function as patrol boats. These entered service with the Republic of Korea Navy in the 1970s, and have since seen service with three other navies, of which t ...

painted and given faux battle damage to resemble PKM-357, a ROK Navy patrol boat sunk during the

Second Battle of Yeonpyeong The Battle of Yeongpyeong (or Second Battle of Yeonpyeong) (Korean: 제2 연평해전, ''Je I(2) Yeonpyeong Haejeon'') was a confrontation at sea between North Korean and South Korean patrol boats along a disputed maritime boundary near Yeonpyeon ...

* North Korean Submersible Infiltration Landing Craft (SILC) captured near Dadawpo, Busan on 3 December 1983 * Hurricane Aircat

airboat An airboat (also known as a planeboat, swamp boat, bayou boat, or fanboat) is a flat-bottomed watercraft propelled by an aircraft-type propeller and powered by either an aircraft or automotive engine. In early aviation history the term ''airboat ...

used by ROK special forces during the Vietnam War

References

External links

Pictures of the War Memorial of Korea

The War Memorial's official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:War Memorial Of Korea Buildings and structures in Yongsan District Military monuments and memorials Military and war museums in South Korea Monuments and memorials in South Korea Museums in Seoul Tourist attractions in Seoul Korean War memorials and cemeteries Korean War museums Ministry of National Defense (South Korea)