국가보훈부

The grandchildren of the soldiers who were attached to the Dutch battalion during the Korean War will attend the Youth Peace Camp to meet their grandfathers’ fellow veterans, express their gratitude and establish friendship with the fellow veterans’ descendants. Participating students, Korean and Dutch alike, will prepare a luncheon for the veterans with various activities such as special performances. The participants will increase the Netherlands’ awareness on the Korean War through a flash mob. 

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (Minister Pi Woo-jin) will organize the Youth Peace Camp for Descendants from August 23(Thu) to 29(Wed) for the first time in the Netherlands where Korean and Dutch students participate together to promote the friendship with the UN sending states and continue cooperation.

The students will engage in various activities during the week, including the visit to the Yi Jun Peace Museum and the military unit that participated in the Korean War.

The MPVA has hosted Youth Peace Camps in Korea, but this camp will be the first time for the ministry to host a Youth Peace Camp outside the country.

The ministry says it chose the Netherlands to be the first country other than Korea to host a Youth Peace Camp since the Dutch descendants of the veterans successfully inherited a veteran’s organization and therefore can be a good example to be learned by descendants of other UN sending states.

Among the 32 participants, 16 are Korean college students and the rest 16 are Dutch students who are grandchildren of the UN veterans of the Korean War.

Among the Korean participants, 2 are the grandchildren of the soldiers who were attached to the Dutch battalion during the Korean War and expect to have meaningful time to express their gratitude to their grandfathers’ fellow veterans in the Netherlands.

In the afternoon of August 26 (Sun) the participants will assemble in the Amsterdam square in a flash mob to express their respects and gratitude to the veterans of the Korean War.

The flash mob will last around four minutes, featuring the students dancing in K-pop and holding a sign expressing gratitude to the veterans to show Korea that does not forget the veterans who helped them to the Dutch public.

Moreover, the student participants will host the luncheon with the veterans being distinguished guests on August 28 (Tue). During the luncheon, the students will report their activities of the week and representative participants will speak while the Korean students will share their grandfathers’ war stories. The lunch will also feature musical performances (Korean traditional musical instrument and singing), as well as Taekwondo demonstration.

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs plans to develop varied programs and expand the network with the descendants of the UN veterans.