The Canadian Korean War Memorial Garden
The Canadian Korean War Memorial Garden honours the bravery and sacrifice of the Canadian soldiers who gave their lives during the Korean War. From 1950 to 1953, 26,000 courageous Canadian soldiers from the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Royal Canadian Army (RCA), and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) left the comfort and security of Canada to promote and preserve peace in the Korean Peninsula. Among them, 516 perished.
The memorial is in Northeast Kapyong-gun, South Korea (SK), where Canadian soldiers defended the hills during the Battle of Kapyong. This fierce battle marked one of the earliest significant engagements for Canadian forces in the Korean War. The battle saw the defence of Hill 677, a strategic position overlooking the Kapyong River Valley just north of Seoul, SK, against overwhelming Chinese forces from the north. Had the Canadians faltered, South Korea’s capital city would have been left vulnerable. Despite being nearly overrun, the Canadians’ resilience prevailed as they successfully repelled the Chinese assault.
Left: Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry stone cairn. (Credit: Wikipedia); Right: Canadian contribution monument. (Credit: Wikipedia)
The creation of the memorial was led by Mr. Chi Kap Chong, a retired journalist and former member of the Korean National Assembly, who organized the fundraising efforts to acquire the land; he also personally supervised the construction. At the memorial gardens, three monuments stand: a stone cairn that is dedicated to Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, a stone tablet that lists the Canadian units involved in the Korean War (inscribed in Korean, English, and French), and a larger memorial, unveiled in 1985, that commemorates the 26,000 Canadians who served in Korea, including those who died in battle.
Each year, students at the Kapyong Middle School, SK, receive scholarships from several Canadian organizations. Each scholarship is recognized as a “living memorial” that symbolizes continued support of the South Koreans by Canadians. In return, the students at Kapyong Middle School contribute to the upkeep of the memorial gardens.
The left, centre, and right panels of the contribution monument. (Credit: Wikipedia)
In Busan, SK, within the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, stands the Monument of the Canadian Fallen. This monument honours the 30,000 who served during the Korean War as well as the peacekeepers who served during the years that followed.
Main: Main monument of the Canadian Korean War Memorial in Kapyong-gun. (Credit: Wikipedia)
Sources:
Veterans Affairs Canada, “Canadian Korean War Memorial Garden – Memorials – Remembrance – Veterans Affairs Canada,” January 17, 2024, https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-memorial-park.
Veterans Affairs Canada, “Canadian Korean War Memorial Garden – Veterans Affairs Canada,” January 21, 2020, https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/korean-war-memorial-garden.
Veterans Affairs Canada, “Monument to Canadian Fallen – Veterans Affairs Canada,” February 13, 2024, https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/monument-to-canadian-fallen.
Veterans Affairs Canada, “United Nations Memorial Cemetery – Veterans Affairs Canada,” February 13, 2024, https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/united-nations-memorial-cemetery.