South Korea will hold international events to express the nation’s gratitude to the 21 countries that sent troops to fight on the nation's behalf during the Korean War.

The events will be led by the heads of local foreign missions, with the participation of governments, organizations and ethnic Koreans living abroad. The venues will be historically significant places, including the U.S. Capitol in Washington and Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Committee, which is spearheading the activities, said it will publish "thank you" advertisements in 30 major daily newspapers on June 25th. President Lee Myung-bak’s personal thank-you letter will be sent to surviving veterans.

The Korean War broke out on June 25th, 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea.