RP's first peacekeeping force in Korean War remembered

SEOUL — We flew back from Busan here the capital city of South Korea where the main events to mark the 60th anniversary of the Korean War are set to take place today. It was on June 25, 1950 when North Koreans — backed by the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and Communist China — invaded South Korea. Three days later, Seoul was captured and was occupied by the communist troopers loyal to North Korean Gen. Kim Il-sung.

For the past few days here, the state-run TV station Arirang has been airing special features about the Korean War as “The Forgotten War.” It obviously tries to recapture the sense of nationhood and love of country for the young generation of South Koreans. Elders and senior government officials echoed fears and concerns that young South Koreans seem to gloss over this bitter part of their war history.

In fact, the activities to mark this important event in their country’s history were seemingly ignored as South Koreans are mostly focused on their nation’s participation in the ongoing world FIFA soccer game in South Africa. From police estimates, there were about 10,000 South Koreans who braved the cold temperature at three o’clock in the morning on Wednesday just to watch at the public square here in the city the free live feed of the semi-final contest of their soccer team against Nigeria. The game ended in a tie but it gave South Korea a slot among the 16 nations for the next rounds of FIFA championship eliminations. Seoul hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup.   

From what I gathered from their English-language Arirang Channel in my hotel room, there is still the great national dream of reunification between the two Koreas. As world history tells us, Korea was divided into North and South after World War II. After the Allied Forces led by the United States and the USSR ended the Japanese occupation in Korea in WW II, the Russians decided to stay on in the North while the Americans kept the South.

The late North Korean Gen. Kim Il-sung pursued his ambition to unite the two Koreas but under communist rule. He led his followers not to participate in the United Nations (UN)-sponsored democratic elections to install a new independent government. The South Koreans conducted the elections and voted into office the US-educated Dr. Syngman Rhee in 1948. After he was elected as President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea, Gen. Kim Il-sung launched the invasion to control South Korea two years later.

A force of more than 7,000 Filipino soldiers fought in the Korean War under the UN Command. More than 400 Filipinos were reportedly killed in action (KIA) during the battles to drive back invading North Korean communist soldiers. 

As journalists from countries invited for the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, it was impressed upon us here that 19 international journalists were killed in action. They were “embedded” journalists who went to the war fronts and paid with their dear lives the fearless coverage of the Korean war. They, too, were recognized along with other unknown soldiers who fought here for world peace.

During our visit at the UN Memorial Center in Busan on Tuesday, I felt proud to see our Philippine flag unfurled among the flags from 21 countries that participated during the Korean War and are being flown at that hallowed grounds. It was donated by the South Korean government to the UN in honor of the soldiers from these countries that helped gave back to them their country’s freedom.

The UN multinational forces under the command of American Gen. Douglas McArthur arrived and three months after the invasion, the South Koreans regained control of Seoul. But the tide of battles later tilted in favor of the North Koreans after China sent 300,000 communist soldiers to reinforce the invaders. Thus, the Korean War raged on for the next three years.

The curator of the UN Memorial Center told me there were about 120 Filipino soldiers KIA who used to be interred at the cemetery. I mistakenly cited this figure in my previous column as the number of the first Filipino peacekeepers sent to the Korean War. Anyhow, the remains of these fallen Filipino soldiers have already been repatriated to the Philippines upon the request of their respective families.

“We engrave your names in our hearts with love. We inscribe your names in our land with appreciation.” These are words in the Eternal Remembrance of the Fallen UN Forces in the Korean War at the UN Memorial Cemetery in Korea.

Also, as I mentioned in my previous column, former President Fidel V. Ramos is the most distinguished soldier in the UN-led forces that were called as the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK). From the PEFTOK records, the West Point graduate Ramos served a tour of duty during the Korean War from 1951 to 1952. He was the Personnel Research Group, General Headquarters, Korea — as a platoon leader. From his own accounts, he acted as “Recon” leader — as in reconnaissance. “What is the job of a recon leader? To ‘recon’ the frontline — no man’s land. And what did we do? I had to assault a fortified position of the Chinese communists and wiped them out,” Ramos was quoted as saying in July 1987 in response to questions on his combat actions.

 Retired British Col. Michael Hickey, also a Korean War veteran, however, had written differently about Filipino soldiers in his book The Korean War, sub-titled “The West Confronts Communism 1950-1953.” In Chapter 9 titled “Reinforcements”, Hickey wrote “Whilst the Filipinos enjoy a high reputation as guerillas than regular soldiering was of an altogether different order and the 1,200-strong first Filipino battalion group had to be re-trained from scratch before it could go into action.”

In the next Chapter of his book, Hickey’s critic on the lack of training of our soldiers fighting in Korea turned more harsh in saying “the Filipino soldiers were unprepared for the violence of Chinese attacks” and tried to portray them as the weakest link of the coalition forces.

That is just the perspective from a British officer’s point of view. For the South Koreans led by President Lee Myung-bak, the lives of the first fallen UN peacekeepers from the Philippines and 20 other nations are religiously honored here in daily rituals throughout the year and not only during the anniversary of the Korean War.