Korean War veterans to visit S. Korea this week

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- A group of American and Turkish veterans who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War will visit South Korea this week as part of a program to express appreciation for their service, Seoul's veterans ministry said Wednesday. A total of 33 veterans from the United States and Turkey are scheduled to start a six-day trip Thursday, along with members of their families, according to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. During the visit, they plan to take part in ceremonies to mark the sacrifice of soldiers during the war and tour major security sites, including the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the ministry added. Some of the visitors fought in the Jangjin Lake battle, also known as the Battle of "Chosin" Reservoir, in late 1950 in South Hamgyong Province, which was one of the fiercest and most pivotal battles of the Korean War. "I am so proud of having fought for South Korea," U.S. veteran Henry Schafer was quoted by the ministry as saying ahead of his trip. Schafer, who lost his arm and leg during the war, will turn 88 next month. The program is intended to express South Korea's gratitude for the fighters' "commitment and sacrifice," the ministry said in a release. During the Korean War, nearly 2 million U.N. soldiers and more than 3,000 medics were sent to the Korean Peninsula to fight invading North Korean and Chinese soldiers, according to South Korean government data. Of them, 40,670 service persons were killed, 104,280 others were wounded and over 9,000 are still missing. graceoh@yna.co.kr (END)