Honoring the Belgian and Luxembourgish Veterans of the Korean War

Woluwe-Saint-Pierre - Belgium — October 30 - 2025

Under a clear autumn sky, I attended this Thursday, October 30, the annual ceremony held at the Korean Monument in the heart of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre. As has been the case every year since the late 1960s, veterans, diplomats, and citizens gathered to honor the memory of the Belgian and Luxembourgish volunteers who fell in Korea. While observing the silent contemplation of the assembly, I thought of those men who, between 1950 and 1953, crossed the world to defend the freedom of a people they did not yet know.

A tribute of dignity and emotion

In the presence of Mr. Benoît Cerexhe, Mayor of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, and His Excellency Mr. Ryu Jeonghyun, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Belgium, the emotion was palpable from the very first words of the Ambassador’s address. Flags were lowered, wreaths were laid, and faces — some marked by time, others by gratitude — turned toward the names engraved on the stone of the monument.

In his speech, His Excellency Mr. Ryu Jeonghyun recalled the extraordinary sacrifice of the 3,171 Belgian volunteers who served in the Belgian United Nations Battalion, 101 of whom never returned home.

“The Republic of Korea will never forget the price of peace. These men engraved the name of Belgium in our history, and in our hearts,” he said with emotion.

The FRCVC, guardian of memory

The ceremony, organized by the Fraternelle Royale du Corps de Volontaires pour la Corée (FRCVC), also paid tribute to those who continue to preserve the memory of this brotherhood in arms.
Mrs. Claudia Grooten, President of the FRCVC, and Mr. Denis Leponce, Board Member, delivered a moving speech in both national languages, honoring the veterans and their generous sacrifice.

A minute of silence followed, broken only by the whisper of the wind through the flags.
I was deeply touched by the simplicity and dignity of that moment — no words were needed to feel the weight of shared remembrance.

A living bilateral commitment

Mr. Benoît Cerexhe and His Excellency Mr. Ryu Jeonghyun each laid a wreath at the foot of the monument on behalf of their respective countries, joined by Mrs. Claudia Grooten representing the FRCVC.

They were followed by representatives of the Belgian Defense, Lieutenant General Vincent Descheemaeker, and from the Korean Defense, Colonel Moon Dongsu.

Founded in the 1950s, the FRCVC has, for over seventy years, worked to maintain the bond between Belgian veterans, their families, and the Republic of Korea. The association actively contributes to the transmission of memory, especially among younger generations and public institutions.
Thanks to its enduring commitment, Belgium remains one of the few European countries to sustain such a vibrant and respectful relationship with the veterans of the Korean War.

A legacy of peace to uphold

Alongside civilian and diplomatic representatives, the presence of military forces from both nations underscored the ongoing strategic and human partnership between Belgium and South Korea.
As the first notes of The Last Post resonated, I felt how this alliance, born in hardship, remains today a symbol of lasting friendship and peace.

Historical reminder of Belgium’s commitment to South Korea

In the winter of 1950, as war raged between the two Koreas, Belgium responded to the United Nations’ call by sending a battalion of volunteers.
While around 700 Belgians were initially deployed to form the battalion, a total of 3,171 Belgians ultimately served during the Korean War.
Most were very young, from all regions of the country. Many had never left Europe — yet they prepared to cross half the world to defend the freedom of a people they had never met.

Their departure, from the port of Antwerp or military train stations, unfolded in a mix of pride and gravity. Families watched with tearful eyes as their sons, brothers, or husbands embarked. The volunteers wore oversized uniforms, brand-new helmets, and in their hearts, a simple conviction: the sense of duty.

The journey to Korea took several weeks, often passing through the Suez Canal and Singapore, before reaching the front lines near the Han River. There, they discovered a devastated land, a freezing winter, and an invisible enemy — but also a courageous and grateful people.

For many, this departure was not only a military act, but a moral commitment: the belief that peace and freedom should never end at the borders of one’s own country.