Every nation has a national cemetery where those who died in service rest in peace. The Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C., Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia, and Korea’s Seoul National Cemetery are just a few of examples where soldiers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and statesmen are honored for their service and sacrifice. Korea has designated June as the month of veterans in remembrance of those who died fighting for Korea’s freedom and democracy during the Korean War. On the first show of June we visit the Seoul National Cemetery located just south of the Han River to remember and pay tribute to those brave souls.

The Seoul National Cemetery is located just five minutes from Dongjak Station of subway lines number four and nine. It’s hard to miss the cemetery for it is situated right by the wide arterial roads. Its ground measures about 1.43 million square meters, roughly a quarter or 350 thousand square meters of which are allocated to individual gravesites. It was back in 1955 when the national cemetery was established at this location. Here’s Seoul National Cemetery Director Jung Jin-tae to explain more about the national sanctuary.

In the days following the founding of the Korean government after the liberation, many soldiers died in their missions to suppress attempted military coups and fight North Korean terrorists. They were interned at Jangchung Temple in midtown Seoul. After the outbreak of the Korean War, the fallen soldiers were largely buried at Beomeo Temple or Geumjeong Temple in Busan. There were talks about consolidating these burial sites for soldiers into one military cemetery and then-President Rhee Syng-man personally rode on a helicopter and chose Dongjak-dong for the cemetery site. He thought the national cemetery should be in Seoul so that Korean people and foreign dignitaries could have easy access to it.

The Seoul National Cemetery started off as a military burial ground to honor those who died during the Korean War. The cemetery was upgraded to a national cemetery in 1965 when those who died fighting for Korea’s independence during the Japanese colonial regime were brought to rest here. Then in 2006 the national cemetery was renamed the Seoul National Cemetery.

Over the past 57 years since its establishment, nearly 170 thousand people were buried at the Seoul National Cemetery. The 54,444 whose remains were recovered were given individual tombs, while 134 freedom fighters, some 7,000 unknown soldiers, and 104,000 Korean War dead whose remains were never found are remembered in memorial tablets. There are also some 3,400 people whose cremated remains are kept at a building called Chunghon-dang.

The first thing visitors see as they pass through the main gate is the Chungseong or Loyalty Water Fountain with a bronze statue.

The 13-meter water fountain is anchored by a statue of a man and a woman, who are hoisting up a Korean national flag as well as a torch and a laurel branch. The lower tier of the statue is adorned with six statues of servicemen from each military service branch, including infantry, the marine corps, and army reserve. The fountain was built in 1976 to commemorate the spirit of patriotism and sacrifice of those who helped defend peace and freedom. Now let’s walk toward Hyeonchung Gate beyond the fountain.

Hyeonchung Tower stands tall about 50 meters beyond Hyeongchung Gate. A granite walkway leads to the tower where a short yet poignant phrase etched in front moves the hearts of visitors. It reads, “For those who walk eternally with their fatherland, the sun and the moon will safeguard this hill.”

Visitors bow their heads to pay their respect in front of the golden incense burner emitting fragrant wispy smoke.

Visitors follow Mr. Kwak No-shik of the Seoul National Cemetery inside the Hyeonchung Tower to the memorial tablet hall.

Do you see the ranks and names written in white against the black wall? These are the names of 96,000 infantry men, 70 air force servicemen, some 90 student soldiers, and 1,200 navy sailors and marines. Next to them are 2,500 law enforcement officers and 3,700 war dead. The statue you see here portrays the spirits ascending to heaven to rest in peace. The ceiling above it is painted with angels playing instruments and dancing to illustrate how they’re welcomed in heaven. In the basement underneath the statue is an internment hall for some 6,900 unknown soldiers from the Korean War, whose unidentified remains were cremated and kept in beautiful mother-of-pearl urns.

Flowers left by mourners adorn the names of the 103,244 soldiers who died in the Korean War.

Black and white photos catch the eyes of visitors. One is of a young student in school uniform and another is of a new father with a baby in his arms. Next to an old photo of a young college student is a more recent photo of his deceased mother. It must have been the last wish of this mother to rest next to her son after more than half a century of longing. As visitors look at each of these pictures with countless untold stories, their hearts ache and eyes well up with tears.

We meet up with a man who came to remember his uncle. He has a bunch of white chrysanthemums and a bottle of soju for his dead relative.

Private first class Kim Jae-cheol, ID number 2200705 buried at site number 31-2-268. This is the uncle he was looking for. The nephew puts the flowers in front of the plaque and pours a shot of soju to comfort his uncle’s spirit.

Visitors now head to the graveyard.

Rows of headstones line up the vast expanse of the Seoul National Cemetery. Even the fragrance of flowers and bird songs seem forlorn in this place. The first stop is the tomb of freedom fighters. Here, 214 brave souls who fought for freedom and independence under the Japanese colonial regime rest in their eternal sleep. Among them are three foreigners – Dr. Frank William Schofield from Canada, whose Korean name is Seok Ho-pil, Kang Hye-rim, and Chinese Wui Shi-fang – who had played important parts in Korea’s fight for independence and democracy. Dr. Schofield is highly admired in Korea for his daring and selfless involvement in the resistance movement. Here’s Seoul National Cemetery Director Jung Jin-tae to explain more about the lesser known Kang and Wui.


Kang Hye-rim and Wui Shi-fang voluntarily enlisted in the Army’s First Division at the same time. They scouted enemy movements and served as interpreters for Chinese prisoners of war. Kang died during the war and received a medal of honor from the American government. Wui, who died in 1989, was honored by the Korean government for his valor during the war and worked as a doctor of Oriental medicine. His service to the Korean people continued after the war, administering medical services to the poor and starting scholarships.

Next stop is the presidential tombs. The farthest ones located in the presidential grave site belong to the late President Park Jung-hee and his wife Yuk Young-soo. Here’s Mr. Roh Jeong-seok to tell us more about President Park’s final resting place.

People often get confused as to which one of these two tombs is President Park’s. Korean tradition dictates that the husband be buried in the left side and the wife in the right. So the left one is President Park’s grave, but his name is written on the right side of the headstone, which can be very confusing. In vertically written texts, it’s usually written from right to left, and male names come first, which explains why President Park’s name is written on the right side. The incense burner is decorated in the presidential symbols of phoenix and mugunghwa, the Rose of Sharon. The carvings on the First Lady’s tomb are of magnolias, her favorite flower.

Almost four decades have passed since the passing of First Lady Yuk Young-soo. But this is one of the most popular destinations for mourners who still remember her grace and generosity.

- Oh, I remember when the president passed away. I still remember how President Park put his hand on his wife’s coffin and cried. I was there. This is the first time I visited her grave since then. Back then we were all so poor. I remember the old days.

A little way off from the Parks’ tombs there is a small pond named Gongjak-ji and the Memorial Forest. There, the hearse that carried President Park’s body is displayed to the public.

This is where President Park’s hearse is preserved. He died on October 26, 1979 and his funeral took place on November 3rd. The hearse was brought here for preservation. Real flowers were replaced with oil paintings. There is a window so that people can see the coffin inside the hearse.

A little to the south of President Park’s grave lies the late President Kim Dae-jung’s tomb. He passed away on August 18th, 2009. His tomb looks somewhat simpler than President Park’s, but there is a reason for it.

People ask why President Kim’s tomb is so modest. That’s because his family wanted the tomb to be simple and environment-friendly. According to the law enacted in 2006, a tomb cannot take up more than 264 square meters. President Kim’s tomb was built in accordance with that law.

Below President Kim’s tomb are the graves of Korea’s first President Rhee Syng-man and his wife Francesca. His tomb looks like the smaller version of a royal tomb, reflecting his status at that time period.

Now let’s go to the Photography Hall and Relics Hall where visitors can see displays on the fallen soldiers and freedom fighters.

At the Photography Hall important milestones in modern Korean history are shown in photographs and videos.

The Relics Hall across from the Photography Hall has relics of the deceased displayed in public. Most of them were donated by their families and people are moved especially by the letters written to the families by the fallen.

A four-minute video with a reading of one of the letters brings tears in people’s eyes. Visitors leave the hall with heavy hearts and heavier steps.

-I’ve passed by this place many times, but this is the first time I actually came inside. It’s really nice here with trees and the mountains. I’m really grateful to all the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to defend our country.
- The air is nice and the grounds have been kept up well. I feel better when I come here. I also feel somber because this is the resting place for all the soldiers.

Remember the fallen in this memorial month with a visit to the Seoul National Cemetery, the final resting place for the nation’s heroes.