Korean War Veterans Memorial

Introduction

The Korean Memorial, or the Korean War Veterans Monument, is situated in Washington D. C., right in the heart of the National Mall, the area of land in the middle of the US capital that houses the most important monuments and memorials of the city.

This memorial is dedicated to all the men and women who served in the Korean War. It was inaugurated in 1995, and during its inauguration ceremony, both the US president, Bill Clinton, and the South Korean president, Kim Young Sam, were in attendance.

History

For those of you who don't know what the Korean War was, it was a war between North and South Korea that took place between 1950 and 1953, with the United States fighting together with South Korea and China and the USSR with the North. This conflict came as a result of Korea being occupied by Japan for several decades, and Japan's loss of the Second World War, which consequently saw Korea being split into two parts. The northern part stayed in the hands of the Soviets, and the southern in those of the Americans; two powers that later faced off in the so-called Cold War.

The memorial

The memorial is divided into three different parts: the collection of statues, the United Nations wall, and the Pool of Remembrance.

The collection of statues

The most striking thing about this memorial is the nineteen statues of soldiers situated within a kind of large triangle. These statues form a military patrol and are very realistic. Each statue measures just over two metres tall and are dispersed amongst juniper bushes, which represent the rugged terrain of Korea.

The three parts of the triangle are different: one is a path, another is a granite wall, and the other is open (this is the one that faces the Lincoln Memorial). The granite wall is sandblasted with the faces of soldiers and other people who served in the Korean War, which isn't something that you can see at first. It's only once you have gotten closer to it that you realise that they are not the reflections of the people looking at the wall.

The United Nations Wall

This is a granite wall upon which you will find a list of the 22 members of the United Nations that contributed troops or medical support to the war effort.

The Pool of Remembrance

The pool is situated within the circle, is 10 metres in diameter, and is lined with black granite. Within the circle, there are some granite plaques with inscriptions of the number of Americans who were killed, wounded or went missing in action during the war. On the other side of it, there is another plaque that reads "Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met".

One very meaningful inscription that you can read on the monument is: "Freedom Is Not Free".

All over the monument, there were bunches of flowers, which is quite normal to see on this type of memorial: Americans are very grateful and heartfelt towards their veterans.

The Korean War Veterans Memorial is administered by the National Park Service, just like the rest of the monuments and memorials within the National Mall, and it is included on the National Register of Historic Places.

It is one of the monuments that grabbed my attention the most. I was originally looking for the Lincoln Memorial and I found myself surrounded by a group of male statues that looked like they were looking for something in the jungle. I later realised that it was actually the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and, since then, it has been one of my favourite memorials.

Additional information, prices, opening hours

Just a few short metres away from this monument, there is a kiosk that sells food that you can buy to either take away or eat at the picnic tables that surround it whilst you enjoy the views of the National Mall. They sell every type of snack imaginable: French fries, cookies, hot dogs, burgers, soft drinks, etc. Although the prices are not necessarily cheap (medium fries cost $3. 50), when hunger strikes right in the heart of the National Mall and the nearest restaurant is ages away, it is the best option, and the food is decent.

Visits to this memorial are completely free: with it being outdoors, there are no restrictions that force an admission fee to be imposed. However, it's important to note that, in Washington D. C., the overwhelming majority of museums, monuments and memorials have had their admission fees waived, which is really fortunate for all those people who visit the city.

You can visit the Korean Memorial 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. However, the National Mall park staff only work from 9:30am until 11:30pm, so you will only be able to ask them for any information that you need between these times.

How to get there

If you are already in the National Mall, you can get to this memorial on foot: it sits just to the right of the Lincoln Memorial, if you are looking towards the Pool of Reflection. However, you can also get to the Korean War Veterans Memorial via the metro, although you will still have to walk a little bit too. The nearest metro station is called "Foggy Bottom", and is served by the orange, blue and silver lines. After exiting the station, you have to carry on along 23rd Street in the direction of Lincoln Memorial, and once you have gone past it, you will find yourself surrounded by the Korean Memorial.