A Korean consulate representative came to the Village of Niles Board meeting as the village held a ceremony to mark the 71st anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Day and honor U.S. veterans, Koreans and Korean Americans.
The Korean Color Guard, veterans of the Korean War, and elected officials were front and center at the July 23 Niles village board meeting to celebrate their ties to Korea, democracy, the United States and Niles. Mayor George Alpogianis also read a proclamation, choking up at one point when he reminisced about his father, a veteran of the June 1950-July 1953 Korean War.
The war unofficially ended with a new border that split the country into North Korea and South Korea in an armistice approved by both countries, the United States and China. Approximately 5.7 million Americans served in the war, according to the Library of Congress.“I just wanted to take a moment, just to speak about things that I do personally know about the Korean war,” Alpogianis said. “My father, alongside his brother and multiple cousins, served in 1951 and 1952 in the Korean war… he fought side by side with the Korean people.”
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“In his later years he talked a lot about the war, (it was) the one thing that my father was always very adamant (about). They call it the forgotten war; people have just forgotten what happened over there. But my father was very adamant about the Korean people in general. He said that they were so kind to the American soldiers and so good to them. They welcomed and embraced them and took care of them as well,” Alpogianis said. “My father asked me to never forget that, and it was well before I was in politics. He said, ‘You always treat them well, George. They were so good to my family.'”
Jong Yun Ra, the vice-consul general of the Republic of Korea in Chicago, said he was deeply honored for the village to honor his country.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Mayor George D. Alpogianis and the village board of trustees for organizing this event. We are here once again to remember the Korean War and to pay tribute to the brave men and women who served during the war. It has been 71 years since the armistice of the Korean war was signed on July 27th, 1953. The United States and South Korea were allies who fought together during the Korean War. Today, we honor the courage and sacrifice and selflessness of those who answered the call of duty and served with unwavering dedication in defense of freedom and democracy.”
Maine Township High School District 207 School Board Member Jin Lee, who Alpogianis called a dear friend and a bridge between the village of Niles and the Korean American community, also spoke to commemorate the event.
“The village of Niles has been very cooperative in providing many great services to aid immigrant communities. So we are deeply honored and we are really appreciating the village of Niles is doing this proclamation to the Korean American community and especially living Korean War veterans who are here today.”
Lee also suggested the village and the community partner to build a Korean War memorial garden or park, which Alpogianis said was a “wonderful idea.”
Lake County Treasurer and Chair of the Illinois Asian American Caucus Holly Kim said, “I’d like to pause to thank all of our Korean War veterans. South Korea continues to have an excellent relationship and appreciation with the United States of America.”