The 30th Jung-gu Patriots and Veterans Month ceremony is set for June 18, with some 300 attendees expected — including veterans and their families — featuring commendations for exemplary contributors and a military band performance.
Seoul's Jung-gu district, led by District Mayor Kim Gil-sung, will host a ceremony to honor veterans and their families who dedicated themselves to the nation, expressing gratitude and commemorating their sacrifice.
The 30th Jung-gu Patriots and Veterans Month Ceremony will be held June 18 at 2 p.m. in Jung-gu Hall on the seventh floor of the district office. Organized by the Jung-gu Veterans Hall Management Council, the event is expected to draw some 300 attendees, including veterans, their families and representatives of veterans organizations.
At the ceremony, commendations will be presented to exemplary contributors who have worked to advance the rights and welfare of veterans and their families and to promote community development.
Kim Jong-guk of the Jung-gu chapter of the Korea Wounded Veterans Association has spent nearly two decades supporting children heading households despite his own physical hardships. Cho Tae-hyung of the Jung-gu chapter of the Bereaved Families Association of War Dead has organized scholarship funds through company volunteer activities and consistently contributed to distributing daily necessities to neighbors in need. Ha Tae-hwan of the Jung-gu chapter of the Agent Orange Veterans Association has served as chapter president for roughly 20 years since 2006, contributing to community safety through neighborhood patrols, school violence prevention campaigns and COVID-19 prevention efforts.
The military band of the Army's 56th Infantry Division, which drew strong response last year, will return to the stage this year. It will open the ceremony with a performance of the art song "Bimok" in tribute to fallen patriots and war heroes. The commemorative program will then feature "Hero," a military march medley, "Song of the Wind" and "Beautiful Country."
"Today's Republic of Korea was built on the sacrifice and dedication of our veterans and their families," District Mayor Kim said. "Jung-gu will not forget that noble spirit, and we will continue to strengthen our support for veterans and their families while leading the way in spreading a culture of patriotism and remembrance."
Jung-gu currently offers a range of support policies for veterans and their families, including veterans honor allowances, livelihood stability allowances, Patriots and Veterans Month consolation payments, and priority parking at eight public parking facilities with 16 designated spaces. This year, the district raised both the veterans honor allowance and the livelihood stability allowance by 43 percent compared to last year and also increased subsidies for battlefield pilgrimage trips, further strengthening welfare support for veterans and their families.
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