A camping trip to honor the Korean War fallen was held from May 18 to 20 in Yanggu, South Korea, with youth participants from both Koreas in attendance.
The camp was organized by NAUH (Now Action & Unity for Human Rights) with the goal of paying respects to the souls of those who died and to recognize the tragedy of war and the importance of peace.
The camp was attended by 20 North Korean youth defectors, including those from military families and previously homeless orphans, and 20 South Korean ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) students from Ewha Womans University. The campsite was located near excavation sites for the remains of the army’s 21st infantry division near Mt Baekseok and Suribong Peak. The area was the site of a ferocious battle during the Korean War, known as the Battle of Bloody Ridge. Over the past year, approximately 90 remains and 9900 relics have been recovered from the site.
“We organized this camp to show our gratitude to those who made it possible for us to live on the Korean Peninsula as it is today, and to be reminded of the current realities of the peninsula through the process,” Ji Sung Ho, the director of NAUH said. The camp was supported by the Ministry of National Defense.
NAUH has been involved in numerous projects aimed at improving human rights in North Korea including street campaigns, radio broadcasting into North Korea, education support for North Korean youth defectors, and the rescue of defectors in third countries.
