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| ▲ Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pays tribute to late Canadian soldiers at a monument that commemorates Canada's participation in the Korean War in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, on May 18, 2023. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (R) talks with Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon as he visits a monument that commemorates Canada's participation in the Korean War in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, on May 18, 2023. (Yonhap) |
Trudeau-Korean War monument
Trudeau honors Canadian soldiers killed in Korean War
GAPYEONG, South Korea, May 18 (Yonhap) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday paid tribute to the hundreds of Canadian soldiers who were killed in the 1950-53 Korean War during his visit to a historic battlefield in Gapyeong, northeast of Seoul.
Trudeau arrived in South Korea on Tuesday for a three-day visit. On Wednesday, he held a summit with President Yoon Suk Yeol and delivered a speech at the National Assembly, marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Accompanied by Kim Dong-yeon, governor of Gyeonggi Province, Trudeau visited Gapyeong County, 60 kilometers northeast of Seoul, where the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade, consisting of soldiers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Britain, battled Chinese troops from April 23-25, 1951.
They successfully halted the advance of the Chinese forces, providing crucial time for South Korean and U.N. troops to fortify their defensive positions.
The Canadian soldiers defended a strategically important hill, making the Battle of Gapyeong one of the most significant military achievements in Canadian history.
Canada sent a total of 26,791 soldiers to Korea, the third-largest contingent among the participating U.N. nations. Of them, 516 died and 1,042 others were wounded.
During his visit, Trudeau paid a solemn tribute to the fallen Canadian soldiers by laying a wreath at a monument that commemorates Canada's participation in the Battle of Gapyeong. He became the first Canadian leader to visit there.
Trudeau and Kim also attended an event celebrating the establishment of a 5.3-kilometer forest trail, which connects the locations defended by the Canadian soldiers. It was created to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two counties.
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