Turn to Busan

Did you know that some people have called the Korean War the “forgotten war?” But I am an elephant and elephants never forget so I take pride in knowing some facts about it. The Korean War started in 1950. The United Nations asked our country for help to try to stop the fighting. More than 26,000 Canadians would travel far from home to serve in Korea. Sadly, 516 Canadians died during the three-year conflict. More than 375 of them are buried in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan, South Korea.

Canadian Veterans have done a lot to try to teach others about the Korean War. A great example is Vincent Courtenay who helped create not one, but two identical sculptures honouring those who died in the conflict! One is located in Korea and the other is in Ottawa. The memorial in our nation’s capital is placed to point exactly to its twin memorial in Busan.

To recognize the sacrifices made in the Korean War, Vincent Courtenay helped establish a special “Turn to Busan” ceremony in 2007. Every year since, around Remembrance Day, people in South Korea gather for a ceremony in the war cemetery in Busan. At the same time, people in Canada and other nations that participated in the Korean War also gather. Even thousands of kilometres apart, people from around the world come together for a moment of solemn remembrance. It makes me trumpet my trunk in pride. What a powerful way to make sure the “forgotten war” is forever remembered.