On Monday 11 November, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea hosted the annual Turn Toward Busan ceremony in Cape Town, a tribute to South African veterans who served in the Korean War.
Held at the South African Air Force Museum at Air Force Base Ysterplaat, the ceremony brought together South Africans and South Koreans to remember the contributions and sacrifices made by those South Africans who fought in the Korean War. The sole Cape Town-based Korean War survivor was in attendance.
The Turn Toward Busan ceremony, initiated by a Canadian veteran in 2007, has become a global tribute to those who gave their lives in service during the Korean War. It is held annually on 11 November at the UN Memorial Cemetery in Busan, South Korea, the world’s only United Nations cemetery, where 2 311 UN soldiers from 11 nations rest, including 11 South Africans.
A total of 826 South Africans served in the Korean War, primarily in 2 Squadron of the South African Air Force (SAAF), also known as the “Flying Cheetahs.” These volunteers fought alongside other UN forces from 1950 until 1953, flying F-51D Mustangs and later F-86F Sabres as part of the USAF 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing. Their service came at a heavy price, with 14 men killed in action, 11 missing in action, nine lost in aircraft accidents and a further two dying from other causes. A further eight pilots were taken prisoner and held in horrendous conditions.
Ambassador Dong-Han Yang of the Republic of Korea addressed attendees with deep appreciation for the veterans. “Today, we are commemorating the fallen Korean War veterans for their contributions to the peace of humanity on the Korean Peninsula,” he said.
Highlighting the significance of the Turn Toward Busan tradition, he noted that Busan served as the temporary capital of South Korea during the war, becoming a vital entry point for UN soldiers and where the UN Cemetery is located.
The first Turn Toward Busan ceremony in South Africa was held in Johannesburg in 2015, with Cape Town hosting ceremony for the first time last year. The ceremony included a minute of silence at precisely 11:11 am to honour the fallen.
Yang emphasized that the commitment to remembering these sacrifices remains steadfast: “We Koreans will never forget their spirit, their sacrifices and their contributions, and … continue to work for commemorating our heroes.”
The South Korean government’s dedication to honouring South African Korean War veterans extends beyond this annual event. As part of this commitment, eight opportunities to revisit Korea and 19 scholarship awards were made this year, including the awarding of scholarships to nine great-grandchildren of veterans during the ceremony.
As the Turn Toward Busan ceremony concluded, Ambassador Yang once again reiterated that “the sacrifices and endeavours made by our Korean War heroes were not in vain” and that “they will also never be forgotten.”
He concluded by expressing the hope that it would continue to strengthen ties between South Africa and South Korea.
