First KATUSA member Elder Kim Shi-han: “We had Sunday worship during the Korean War”

On June 24, Elder Kim Shi-han shows his photo album of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division and other materials at Gyeongan Bookstore near Cheonggyecheon, Seoul, as he tells the story of his military life and faith during the Korean War. He was one of the first members of the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA). Elder Kim said, “Out of the entire 30 million population at the time, about 10 million were separated from their families due to the Korean War. 43,000 members of KATUSA participated in the war, but 14,000 died or went missing. A horrible war like this should never happen again. The church can exist only when we have a country. Therefore we should do our best to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula. I believe God will allow us peaceful reunification.”

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In 1952, soldiers of the 15th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Division participate in Easter worship service in the open field in Cheolwon, Gangwon-do.

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Elder Kim (left) poses for photo with his fellow soldiers in 1953, right after the armistice.

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Posted 2015-06-25 17:37 on The Kukmin Daily website (Reporter Yeong Dae Yoo (ydyoo@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr); Photo by intern reporter Jun Ho-Kwang). Original published in Korean.

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