Students from the UN Korean War allied nations and Korean university students pose for photos on June 22 in front of the entrance to Dutayeon Falls in Yanggu-gun County, Gangwon-do Province.
Descendants of Korean War veterans from overseas and Korean students visited Dutayeon, in Yanggu-gun County, Gangwon-do Province, as the first leg of their trip dubbed “The Long March of Youth from UN Korean War Allied Nations.”
Earlier that day, they held a launch ceremony to begin the event at the Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul. The program, for overseas students from UN allied nations that fought in the Korean War and Korean students, was organized so that they can build friendship while traveling around the country.
The program participants walked the Dutayeon eco tourism path while appreciating the beauty of nature with waterfalls, rare flowers and trees, and a beautiful blue sky overhead. They also enjoyed breathing in the clean and fresh air which is hard to find in the city. Some of them walked slowly, stopping to take photos to keep and share their memories.
Descendants of Korean War veterans and Korean students enjoy the eco tourism path at Dutayeon Falls.
Dutayeon in Yanggu-gun County, Gangwon-do Province, is known for its untouched natural beauty. This is because it was one of the harshest battlefields during the Korean War and so civilians were prohibited entry for a long time.
Dutayeon is characterized for its beautiful scenery as it is surrounded by mountains like an elegant folding screen. It is a place of great natural beauty such as clean air, beautiful valleys and waterfalls, uniquely shaped rocks, and rare flowers and trees. Once, however, it was a bloody battleground as Yanggu was one of the fiercest battlefields during the Korean War, where the forces in command changed back and forth even in a single day. After witnessing the harshest times of war, Dutayeon was left untouched by humans for decades. In this time nature gradually recovered the land, transforming the ruins of war into hope for the future.
The program participants not only appreciated the scenery but also looked closely at the war-related relics at Dutayeon such facilities for war camp experiences and landmine-related equipment. They learned more about how harsh the battles here were and the number of those who sacrificed their lives in this place during the war. They reflected on how precious the veterans’ sacrifices were and also thought about the meaning of peace.
Gabrielle Lindig, from California, said that her father had participated in the war which meant that her whole family are proud to have a strong bond with Korea, and so this visit it something very meaningful for her.
Descendants of Korean War veterans and Korean students pay silent tribute to those who sacrificed their lives during the Korean War in front of the war monument in Dutayeon.
The program participants will spend four days visiting the demilitarized zone, Ulleungdo Island, Dokdo Island, and the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan, in order to experience and better understand what the sacrifices their ancestors made have brought to the country.
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer, reporting from Gangneung
Photos: Yang Myung Hoon, Photographer; Yoon Sojung, Korea.net Staff Writer
Descendants of Korean War veterans and Korean students pose for photos in front of the war monument in Dutayeon.
Descendants of Korean War veterans and Korean students appreciate the scenery of Dutayeon from a bridge.
The face-shaped rocks at Dutayeon are one of the must-see attractions. The rocks are named after their shapes, which look like two humans gazing at each other.
