A memorial event in light of the anniversary of the start of the Korean War was held in Washington D.C. on June 22.

The South Korean Embassy in the United States announced the event that was held at the Korean War Veterans Memorial and was accompanied by a luncheon meeting at the embassy with veterans from the war.

Roughly 200 people were invited to the event, including former commanders of the joint U.S. and South Korean forces; high-ranking military officers from the U.S. Department of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Korean War veterans.

South Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Choi Young-jin said in a speech that South Korea had risen from the ashes in just two generations after the Korean War and evolved into an exemplary model of democracy and free market systems.

In his speech, Choi also thanked veterans and involved countries for their roles in defending the South from the Northern aggression.