An annual commemorative ceremony honoring the sacrifices of United Nations Forces during the Korean War was held on Monday at the UN Memorial Cemetery in the southeastern port city of Busan.

This year's "Turn Toward Busan" event began with a burial of an unknown soldier of the UN Forces, whose remains were found in the border county of Yeoncheon in Gyeonggi Province in 2010.

It is the first burial of unidentified remains, belonging to a European male presumed to be between 17 and 24 in age, at the memorial cemetery since the signing of the Armistice Agreement in 1953.

A minute of silence was observed starting at 11 a.m. with a 21-gun salute in remembrance of the troops killed during the three-year conflict.

Some 800 people, including veterans and families from 20 countries that sent their troops to support South Korea in the war, were in attendance.

In her commemorative speech, Veterans Minister Kang Jung-ai expressed deep gratitude and respect for the fallen soldiers, pledging to forever remember their noble sacrifices.