Deeper than a kimchi bowl

There is a much deeper connection between the Philippines and South Korea than the current craze for K-Pop and Korean dramas among young Filipinos. The Korean War, in which the Philippines played a pivotal role in the United Nations’ fight against North Korean aggression, was the furnace in which this partnership was forged in the 1950s.

At the time, about 7,420 Filipino soldiers served in the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) under the UN Command, an involvement that was remarkable for its size and zeal to protect democracy from the communist scourge that was on overdrive.

Important fights in which the PEFTOK took part included those at Waegwan, Gimcheon, Daegu, Cheolwon and the Imjin River. In the Battle of Miudong, Filipino soldiers displayed extraordinary bravery by valiantly defending a strategically significant hill from the onslaught of enemy forces.

During the Battle of Yultong, they again demonstrated their bravery by stopping the North Korean advance and aiding the overall effort to stabilize South Korea. Their tenacity in the face of intense enemy fire was also on full display at the Battle of Hill Eerie.

Read more: https://tribune.net.ph/2024/10/07/deeper-than-a-kimchi-bowl