Former NFL Player to attend National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day

Washington, DC – On Saturday, July 25th evening from 6:00-8:00pm, the 8th Annual Armistice Day Peace Concert & Vigil will be taking place in front of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, to commemorate the National

Korean War Veterans Armistice Day (July 27th), which marks the day the ceasefire treaty was signed on July 27, 1953. The Korean War, which broke out on June 25, 1950, has technically not ended and is America’s longest war.

Hosted by Remember 727, the annual event gathers hundreds of people at the very place Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called for unity and peace, to remember the “Forgotten War,” to honor its veterans and victims, and to hope for peace on the Korean Peninsula and elsewhere conflict persists.

As this year marks the 70th anniversary of Korea’s Independence and subsequent division, it will be especially meaningful to reflect on war and peace, in front of the Memorial dedicated to President Abraham Lincoln who united a divided nation.

The Reflecting Pool is situated across the WWII Memorial, and between the Korean War and Vietnam War Memorials, which will also serve as a reminder that the Japanese surrender to the U.S. in WWII on August 15, 1945, led to Korea’s liberation, and that Koreans fought alongside U.S. soldiers in Vietnam to thank America’s contributions in the Korean War.

From 1950-1953, the Korean War not only involved more than 5.7 million Americans, but also involved people of different backgrounds from a total of 25 nations in 6 continents. There will be a very eclectic mix of speakers and performances to reflect the global scale of the conflict.

Highlights to include: Wreath-laying ceremony led by the Scottish American Military Society together with Virginia Delegate Mark Keam and Korean American community leaders; and the Candle-light Vigil exactly at 7:27pm led by Friends of Korea (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Korea).

Brief remarks will be provided by Director David Do, DC Mayor’s Office, Sergeant Ashenafi Kebede who fought in the Korean War as part of the Imperial Ethiopian Bodyguard, Derrick Dockery, former NFL player (Redskins guard) and grandson of Korean War veteran and founder of Yellow Ribbons United, Chahee Stanfield, Divided Families Coalition, Mary Hiatt, Me & Korea (Korean War orphans/Korean adoptees), Col. Ann Wright, former U.S. Diplomat, peace activist, Jinhye Jo, North Korean defector, Dr. Ashfaq Ishaq, Chairman, International Child Art Foundation, and H.E Dr. Brandon Jones, Office of the Commissioner, An IGO, at the United Nations.

Performances will be provided by the Ross & Evan acoustic duo, KAYPA (Korean American Youth Performing Artists), a troupe of 23 young students from Los Angeles, Ethio-American Eskista Group, and The Medical Musical Group (Chorale and Symphony Orchestra dedicated to America’s Veterans).

There will also be American Sign Language interpretation and performance by Rev. Dr. Raymont Anderson of ASL Theatrical Performance Company B.E.L.I.E.V.E..

Emceed by Sam Yoon, former Boston City Councilman and President of Council of Korean Americans, and Jennifer Yoo, a broadcaster at Voice of America.

Special features to include photo displays of the Korean War as well as artwork provided by the International Child Art Foundation, which aims to promote peace through art.

Sponsoring Organizations: The Korean Cultural Center, The Korean War Legacy Foundation, Washington DC Chapter of The National Unification Advisory Council (NUAC), The Korean American Association of the Washington Metropolitan Area (KAAW), Korean-American Association of Northern Virginia, Korean American Grocers Association of Washington (KAGRO), Korean American Public Affairs Committee (KAPAC), The Federation of Korean Associations, USA Korean American Scholarship Foundation (KASF), Korean Churches for Community Development (KCCD), Washington Photo Mania, and Gimga Group.

Meet rain or shine. Candles, light snack, and water provided.

Visit www.remember727.org for more information or email [email protected]

THE KOREAN WAR

The Korean War was not just a war between Koreans. From 1950-1953, 1.8 million American men and women served in the Korean War, including 600,000 African Americans, 25,000 Japanese Americans, 20,000 Chinese Americans, and 148,000 Hispanic Americans. The U.S. suffered 54,246 casualties and 8,176+ plus POW/MIAs.

In total, the Korean War involved 25 nations: UN Allied (22) -Republic of Korea, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Medical: Denmark, Italy, Norway, India, Sweden; Communist Forces (3)- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, People’s Republic of China, Soviet Union.

The Korean War claimed lives of more than 2.5 million Koreans and separated more than 10 million Korean families, including 100,000 Korean Americans who have yet to meet their families in the North.

The 3-mile wide buffer zone between the two Koreas, known as the DMZ, is the most heavily armed border in the world. Today the Two Koreas remain the only divided nation in the world and is technically at war.