After risking their lives to defend South Korea, foreign veterans are now choosing to rest there, 70 years later.

For over three decades, British veteran James Grundy made an annual pilgrimage of 5,500 miles to South Korea, where he honored the graves of soldiers he had once recovered as a young man caught in the horrors of war.

At just 19 years old, Grundy enlisted in the Korean War in 1951, according to the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea (UNMCK). Serving in a recovery unit, he retrieved fallen soldiers from battlefields across the Korean Peninsula and escorted them to their final resting place at the cemetery in Busan.

The cemetery remains the only UN memorial of its kind worldwide – serving as a sacred space for veterans, widows, and families to reunite with their lost loved ones from the Korean War.

Founded in 1959, the cemetery was established after the South Korean government allocated the land for permanent use by the United Nations, a tribute to the troops and medical personnel who served under the UN flag during the war, from 22 nations.

While many of the nations chose to repatriate their fallen soldiers, more than 2,300 individuals from 11 different countries are now laid to rest at the UNMCK, as reported by the cemetery.

Over time, some soldiers were joined by their loved ones, including widows and family members, who chose to be buried alongside them.

Today, the cemetery spans a serene 35 acres, featuring lush greenery, tranquil water features, a memorabilia hall, monuments from various countries that participated in the war, and a wall of remembrance engraved with the names of all UN troops who perished during the conflict.

Every time Grundy laid to rest the bodies he recovered, he would promise, ‘I’ll return to you. I won’t forget,’” recalled his adoptive granddaughter, Brenda Eun-jung Park. “That was why he made the journey to Korea every year—to honor that promise.”

Beginning in 1988, Grundy made an annual pilgrimage to the cemetery, continuing his visits until the pandemic interrupted travel. In May, despite battling cancer and growing frail, “he was determined to come to Korea,” Park said, for what would be his final visit.

“That trip was the only joy in his life,” she said. “He was determined to return one last time.”

Grundy passed away in August in the UK. His ashes will be transported to the UN cemetery, where he will be laid to rest, as per his final wishes. “He wanted to be at peace, resting alongside his comrades,” said Park.

A Brief History

The Korean War, often called “the Forgotten War,” despite the staggering loss of life, erupted in June 1950 when North Korean forces invaded South Korea.

In response, the United States convened an emergency session of the UN Security Council, which, just two days after the invasion, authorized sending troops to Korea. This marked the only instance in UN history where combat forces were dispatched under its banner.

The 22-nation “United Nations Command” played a crucial role in shifting the war’s momentum, with US-led forces advancing toward China’s border with North Korea. However, Chinese troops intervened, forcing the UN forces to retreat southward along the peninsula.

The conflict reached a deadlock along the 38th parallel, where the modern-day border between North and South Korea lies. An armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, halting the fighting. However, since no peace treaty was ever signed, the war technically never ended, and its effects continue to be felt today.

For many veterans, the UN cemetery symbolizes not only the heavy cost of the war but also the strong bonds they formed with fellow soldiers and with South Korea itself.

Boyd L. Watts, an American veteran who enlisted at 18, shared with the Korean publication Haps Magazine that he had made an annual pilgrimage to Busan since 1991.

He was astounded by how much South Korea had transformed in just a few decades, a theme that is also highlighted at the cemetery. In the memorial service hall, a video for visitors showcases the country’s rise from the devastation of war to a thriving, modern metropolis – a transformation made possible by the sacrifices of UN troops, the video explains.

Other veterans returning to Busan have shared similar feelings of awe and gratitude.

Johan Theodoor Aldewereld, a former private first class who fought in hand-to-hand combat with North Korean soldiers, made his first return to South Korea in 2016, after being discharged during the war. According to Yonhap news agency, Aldewereld was deeply moved by the nation's remarkable economic recovery.

He passed away the following year and was laid to rest at the cemetery, fulfilling his last wish, which specified that his ashes be “buried in the Republic of Korea where my comrades lie in eternal rest,” according to Yonhap.

A Final Resting Place

As the remaining veterans grow older, an increasing number from around the globe have expressed their wish to be buried at the cemetery, alongside the friends and comrades they once fought to protect, in the foreign land they defended during the war.

Watts, the American veteran, shared with Haps Magazine in 2010, “They’ve got a lot of us old guys buried out there … I’d like to be one of them.” His wish was fulfilled after his passing in 2020, with family, friends, and representatives from the US military and embassy attending the ceremony.

Another American veteran, Russell Harold Johnstad, who served in the Military Police during the war, was also interred at the UN cemetery in 2020.

“Initially, Mr. Johnstad was reluctant about being buried at the UNMCK, feeling unworthy compared to the others resting there. However, his wife and family managed to change his mind,” said the UNMCK in a statement on its website.

The most recent overseas veteran to be laid to rest at the cemetery is John Robert Cormier from Canada, who passed away in 2021 and was interred in June of this year. He was only 19 when he first arrived in Korea to fight and returned to the frontlines even after sustaining a near-fatal injury, according to the UNMCK.

It was his “strong desire” to be buried at the cemetery, the UNMCK stated after his ceremony, adding: “He would have missed the 380 Canadian comrades who waited for him here, and now they are reunited once again.”

Today, the cemetery, situated near the coast, continues to attract visitors interested in war history. Easily accessible by both bus and subway, it offers free entry. The cemetery also hosts daily UN flag-raising and lowering ceremonies, along with special events marking significant dates, such as the anniversary of the Korean War’s outbreak.