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🇰🇷 South Korea /Conflict & Security

Korean War student soldier's badge unearthed, displayed in exhibition

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Official statement New plan
  • A badge belonging to a student soldier from Gyeongju Middle School, found at a battlefield, has been publicly displayed.
  • The badge, discovered at Hill 142 in Eoraesan, symbolizes the participation of students in uniform during the Korean War.
  • An exhibition in Gyeongsangbuk-do showcases this and other artifacts, including photographs and student records, related to student soldiers.

A poignant artifact from the Korean War, a badge belonging to a student soldier from Gyeongju Middle School, has been unveiled. Discovered at Hill 142 in Eoraesan, the badge serves as a tangible link to the young lives disrupted by conflict and the sacrifices made by students who fought in uniform.

We went to the battlefield wearing our school uniforms.

— Student soldier testimonyRecounting the experience of fighting in the Korean War.

The badge was unearthed in 2023 by the Ministry of National Defense's excavation team. Inscribed with 'Junghak' and 'Gyeongju,' it directly signifies the participation of students in the war, many of whom were still in their school uniforms. The Eoraesan area was a critical battleground during the Nakdong River defense line, witnessing intense fighting in the Gi-ge and Angang battles.

Testimonies gathered by the Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education as part of its student soldier record collection project reveal poignant memories. "We went to the battlefield wearing our school uniforms," and "We fought alongside our friends from school," are among the accounts collected. "Stories that remained in individual memories have been confirmed as objective historical records through artifacts actually excavated from the battlefield," stated an official from the education office.

Stories that remained in individual memories have been confirmed as objective historical records through artifacts actually excavated from the battlefield.

— Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education officialCommenting on the significance of the unearthed artifacts.

The exhibition, titled 'A Boy's Time,' features the Gyeongju Middle School badge alongside 33 donated photographs and 7 student registers. Fifteen artifacts, including the badge and uniform buttons, loaned from the Ministry of National Defense's excavation unit, highlight the transition of items symbolizing learning into relics of war. The exhibition runs until June 30th at the Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education, offering a free glimpse into the history of these young soldiers.

A small badge found on the Eoraesan highlands tells us about the life and dedication of a young student soldier from 75 years ago.

— Im Jong-sikSuperintendent of Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education, on the meaning of the discovered badge.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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