Names of war veterans are etched in the walls of the Pittsburgh Korean War Memorial and now, there is a surplus of roses of sharon – South Korea’s national flower – that decorate the walkways leading up to them.
Dignitaries from the South Korean city Pohang-si joined the Western Pennsylvania Korean War Veteran’s Association and the Korean Association of Greater Pittsburgh to honor veterans and celebrate the completion of the Rose of Sharon, or Pohang Mogunghua, Walkway at a Thursday morning ceremony at the memorial on the North Shore.
The city of Pohang-si in South Korea dedicated the walkway to Pittsburgh in honor of local veterans’ sacrifice.
July 27 marks 70 years since the Korean War ended with a cease fire. An estimated 405,000 people from Pennsylvania served during the time of the conflict and 2,327 of them never returned home. War veterans were invited to take part in the ceremony, many of whom were over 80 years old.
The ceremony commenced with a welcome from John Rosenberger, president of the KWVA, and a performance of the “Star Spangled Banner” and the Korean national anthem. It also featured performances by the Korean United Presbyterian Church’s youth orchestra.
“On this day of marking the 70th anniversary of the armistice in the Korean War, it is very meaningful to celebrate the completion of the Pohang Mogunghua Walkway at the Korean War Veteran’s Memorial,” Kim Nam-il, vice mayor of Pohang City in the Republic of Korea, said at the ceremony.
Mr. Nam-il said he and the entirety of Pohang-si have deep gratitude to the veterans who dedicated themselves for peace and freedom in South Korea. They will “never forget” that the prosperity in their city today is thanks to the sacrifice of Korean War veterans.
Jake Wheatley, chief of staff to Mayor Ed Gainey, said over the course of spending time with the Pohang-si’s delegates, he learned about the similarities between the city and Pittsburgh. Pohang-si was traditionally the home of the Korean steel industry, he said.
“We, both here and in Pohang, have been critical to building the foundations for a strong, free prosperous and peaceful country,” Mr. Wheatley said. “In having that shared experience and in continuing to build on that relationship into the future, we’re very excited to have such great partners.”
Judy Yoo, president of the Federation of Korean American Association of North Eastern U.S., said freedom is not free and everyone must remember all that veterans have sacrificed. Ms. Yoo said she hopes the Rose of Sharon Walkway will be a daily reminder of the strong friendship between the Republic of Korea, Pittsburgh and the U.S.
“We are here to promise that we’re going to continue our love between our veterans and our Korean community and other youth,” MiRan Surh, president of the Korean Association of Greater Pittsburgh, said. “We are never going to forget about our veterans’ effort and keeping peace and freedom.”
First Published: July 27, 2023, 9:26 p.m.
Updated: July 28, 2023, 3:51 a.m.
