07/25/2025
🇺🇸 Korean War Veterans Honored at 18th Annual 727 Armistice Day Commemoration on Capitol Hill 🇰🇷
🎖️ Event Honored Veterans with Medals, Featured Lawmaker Tributes and a Candlelight Vigil in Hopes for Peace on the Peninsula 🕯️
Washington, D.C. — Over 300 distinguished guests gathered on Capitol Hill on July 23, 2025, evening for the 18th Annual 727 Armistice Day Commemoration, marking the 75th anniversary of the Korean War ceasefire agreement. 🏛️✨ The bipartisan event brought together U.S. and South Korean lawmakers, Korean War veterans, their families, dignitaries, veterans groups, community leaders and youth performers to honor those who served in the Korean War and advocate for lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. 🤝🕊️
The event opened with traditional Korean cultural performances by Los Angeles high school students from the Hwarang Youth Foundation, including 🥁 and Taekwondo demonstrations 🥋 by local Kukkiwon VA/DC Branch Demonstration Team & MBA Majest Taekwondo Demonstration Team.
At 6:25pm – symbolizing June 25, 1950, when the Korean War broke out – the program started with the Presentation of Colors 🇺🇸🇺🇸 by VFW Post 1177 and the National Anthem 🎶 sung by “The Vets Quartet,” representing all four branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. 🪖
⭐ Key highlights included:
🏆 Presentation of the inaugural "Champion of Korean War Veterans and Peace on the Peninsula" Awards to U.S. Representative Young Kim(R-CA-40), Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, and Congressman Mark Takano(D-CA-39), Ranking Member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, for their advocacy for veterans and the U.S.-Korea alliance.
🎤 Additional Members of Congress delivering remarks included Congressman Dave Min (CA), a newly-elected Korean American Congressman and honorary co-host of the event, and Rep. Judy Chu (CA), former chairwoman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) who emphasized the rise of South Korea since the war and the need for lasting peace on the Peninsula. ☮️
🏅 Ambassador of Peace Medals awarded to five Korean War veterans and their families by the 🇰🇷 Korean Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and a delegation from Korea's National Assembly who are part of the Korea-US Parliamentarians' Union:
Asbury Lloyd (Bronze Star recipient) ⭐
James Tingler 🎖️
Benjamin S. Colasito (posthumously) 🌹
Napoleon H. Arcusa (posthumously) 🌹
Heren Molina Cabacar (posthumously) 🌹
🪙 Special recognition of veterans on stage by commanders of major U.S. veterans organizations, including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars VFW, AMVETS, led by Chariots of Honor in presenting commemorative challenge coins, symbolizing respect and brotherhood. 🤝💙
❤️ A touching tribute by Jay Cabacar, honoring his late father, Heren Molina Cabacar, a Filipino veteran of WWII and the Korean War who served in the U.S. Army.
🕯️ At exactly 7:27 p.m. – symbolizing July 27, 1953, the date of the Korean War Armistice – attendees participated in a candlelighting ceremony while a student performed the "Arirang," Korea's most beloved folk song on the gayageum, a traditional Korean string instrument. 🎵 The audience sang "Arirang" in remembrance of those who served and sacrificed. 🙏
🎭 The evening closed with encore cultural performances and remarks from co-hosts and a representative of LG, event sponsor.
"This event was not only a tribute to our veterans but a call to remember that the war is not truly over until there is peace on the Korean Peninsula," said Hannah Y Kim, founder of Remember727 and organizer of the event since 2008. "We will continue to light the candle of remembrance and hope." 💫🕯️
🎞️Special features included a poster exhibit of the film, Children of War, by director Arnold Chun who aims to tell the story of orphans during the war, and a photo exhibit of the Korean War, curated by Korean War Veteran Lee Tae Ha.
The commemoration honored more than the past — it was a reminder of the ongoing division of Korea and the need for lasting peace, while celebrating the bonds between the United States and South Korea that have only grown stronger since the war. 🤝
🌺 The event paid special tribute to the late Congressman Charles Rangel a decorated Korean War veteran who sponsored the legislation (H.R. 2632) creating National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day in 2009. Rep. Rangel passed away in May 2025 at age 94. 🙏
Originally hosted by Remember727 that spearheaded the passage of H.R. 2632, the event was co-hosted by the Korean American Grassroots Conference - KAGC, Council of Korean Americans (CKA) Korea Economic Institute Korean American Institute and the Hwarang Youth Foundation, with generous support from LG. 🤝✨ Special thanks to Congressional Korean American Staff Association for their honorary co-sponsorship.
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📷 photo credit: Korean Economic Institute of America and Holly Bachman
