A sunny Sunday morning at Seoul National Cemetery!

Yesterday Anders and I finally visited The Seoul National Cemetery. The cemetery is located only one metro station from Yongsan Base in Dongjak.

We chose the day well for the weather was absolutely fabulous and they area beautiful and peaceful.

The Seoul National Cemetery was established by presidential decree of Syngman Rhee in 1956, and it was at that time the country's only national cemetery. (An additional national cemetery was established in 1974, in Daejeon. Both cemeteries are overseen by the National Memorial Board).

The cemetery is reserved for Korean veterans, including those who died in the Korean Independence Movement, Korean War, and Vietnam War. Only one non-Korean person is buried there, the Canadian Francis Schofield.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While walking through this magnificent, peaceful area in the middle of the busy city of Seoul an elderly Korean man came up to us.

 

Mr. YEO Han Myung and I

 

 

Mr. YEO Han Myung told us that he’s since 10-years back a volunteer for the Gangnam-gu Volunteer Center. He spoke good English and said he enjoyed seeing foreigners at the National Cemetery. While walking around with us he mentioned he had a brother who fought in the Korean War, buried here. During our conversation, we learned that Mr. Yeo received a letter of appreciation for all his volunteering from the Prime Minister of Korea as well as a luncheon, with other dedicated volunteers, at the Blue House.

 

(The Blue House is the executive office and official residence of the South Korean head of state. The Korean name literally translates to "pavilion of blue tiles." The Blue House is in fact a complex of buildings, built largely in the traditional Korean architectural style with some modern elements.)

So here you can  follow us on our two hours walk…………………..

 

 
So many ................

 

 

 On our way to the highest point of the cemetery.

 

 

On the hill we saw the graves of high ranking Korean officers.

 

  A spectacular view over the cemetery, Hanriver and a small part of the city.

 

On our way to the grave of the first President of South Korea.

 

 

 

The grave of President Syngman Rhee and his wife Francesca.

 

 

Syngman Rhee or Yi Seungman (Hangul: 이승만 1875 –  1965) was the first president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea as well as the first president of South Korea. His latter three-term presidency (August 1948 to April 1960) remains controversial, affected by Cold War tensions on the Korean peninsula and elsewhere.

Rhee was regarded as an anti-Communist and a strongman, and he led South Korea through the Korean War. His presidency ended in resignation following popular protests against a disputed election. He died in exile of a stroke on July 19^th, 1965 in Hawaii.  A week later, his body was returned to Seoul and buried in the Seoul National Cemetery.

 

 Thank you
Mr. YEO Han Myung for your time and engagement!














Time for reflection ........