The annual ceremony in Chipyong-ni, South Korea, paid tribute to the French Battalion and the U.S. Army’s 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. Their victory in February 1951 is credited with halting the Chinese offensive and turning the tide of the war.
“It is a chilling reminder of the courage, discipline, effort, and will to win in the hardest of conditions that have to be inculcated in each of us to ensure victory and freedom,” said U.S. Army Col. Chris Choi, Future Operations Division Chief for the UNC, who represented the command at the ceremony.
The ceremony drew representatives from several UNC member nations, including French Army Col. Olivier LeClercq, Director of Policy and Plans; New Zealand Warrant Officer Class One Grant Collins, Senior Enlisted Advisor; Netherlands Army Maj. Ekrem Karadeniz, Strategic Communication Staff Officer; and Australian Navy Lt. Cmdr. Brendan Trembath, Public Affairs Officer.
Distinguished guests included the French ambassador to South Korea, the 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division commander, the South Korean 11th Maneuver Division commander, and surviving veterans of the Korean War.
The battle, also known as Jipyeong-ri, was a decisive victory for U.S. and French units of the 23rd Infantry Regiment against units of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army. French Army Lt. Gen. Ralph Monclar famously volunteered to step down in rank to Lieutenant Colonel to fight in the war, demonstrating unwavering resolve in the face of adversity.
The annual commemoration serves as a powerful reminder of the shared sacrifice and enduring partnership between South Korea and the UNC in ensuring peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region.
