Korean War

Book review: Blaine Harden – King of Spies

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by Philip Gowman on 12 November, 2018

in 1945-1960 | Book Reviews | Books on DPRK | History Books

Blaine Harden: King of Spies – The dark reign of America’s spymaster in Korea Mantle, 2018, 272 pp The character of the maverick cop, or even maverick spy, delivering outstanding results through unorthodox means and despite a disregard for hierarchy, is a familiar one in crime and spy fiction. Blaine Harden, who worked with Shin […]

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RIP Bill Speakman VC

by Philip Gowman 21 July 2018
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The funeral was held this week for Bill Speakman, the so-called Beer Bottle VC. The ceremony was held on 19 July in the Wren Chapel at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, where Speakman was a pensioner. He died peacefully at the Hospital on 20 June 2018, aged 90, surrounded by members of his family. Obituaries can be […]

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War Veterans honoured in Kingston’s Guildhall

by Events Editor 24 June 2018
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Yesterday a group of Korean musicians and performers entertained a group of British veterans from the Korean War in Kingston’s Guildhall. The event was organised by the Korean Veterans Association UK, a group of volunteers committed to the continuing remembrance of the sacrifice made by soldiers who came to the aid of the Republic of […]

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The Longest Tomb: Documentary on the Daejeon Massacre (1950)

by Events Editor 25 May 2018
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At SOAS next week: Film Screening and Q&A: The Longest Tomb 29 May 2018, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Paul Webley Wing (Senate House) Room: Alumni Lecture Theatre Facebook event page Knowledge is Power and The Education Centre for Peace and Reunification present The Longest Tomb, the first ever documentary on the controversial subject of […]

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April Literature Night: Silver Stallion with Ahn Jung-hyo

by Events Editor 30 March 2018
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Ahn Jung-hyo is in town not just to talk about his novel Silver Stallion but also his Vietnam War novel White Badge, which will be screened at the KCC later in the week. We reviewed Silver Stallion ten years ago but that won’t stop us reading it again. Literature Night: Ahn Jung-hyo’s Silver Stallion 25 […]

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Korean War not quite forgotten in Canary Wharf art trail

by Philip Gowman 3 November 2016
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As we approach Remembrance Sunday, the walkways and open spaces of Canary Wharf have been adorned with works by artist Mark Humphrey in what is described as the UK’s first Remembrance Art Trail, in association with the Royal British Legion and constructed with the help of the Corps of Royal Engineers, consists of seven art […]

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New Paju footbridge honours Glorious Glosters

by Philip Gowman 25 October 2016
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I am grateful to the Association for the Study of Songun Politics UK for alerting me to the recent opening of a new bridge – the “Gloucester Heroes Bridge” – commemorating the role of British forces (and it was not just the Glosters, though they are the regiment who feature most prominently in the accounts) […]

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Film Review: Korean Undertaker and Not One of the Forgotten

by Philip Gowman 27 July 2015
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For about four years Bona Shin of Theatre for All has been getting to know some of the British veterans from Korean War, particularly those based in the Virginia Water area; and as she got to know them she decided to collect some of their memories and preserve them in documentary form. The resulting two […]

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Korea Post honours the Glosters

by Philip Gowman 5 July 2015
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Lt Col James Power Carne of the Gloucestershire Regiment appears on a new Korean postage stamp, part of a set of ten issued to mark the 65th anniversary of the start of the war. The BBC regional website for Gloucestershire has the full story. Keywords: General post tags: Korean War | UK-Korea links

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Press preview: Two Korean War documentaries

by Events Editor 21 June 2015
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For a while now Theatre for All have been working with British Korean War veterans, gathering their memories. Some of the fruits of their labours will be revealed this Thursday, the 65th anniversary of the start of the war, in a press preview in Kingston. You can register for the screenings at Eventbrite. Premiere screenings: […]

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2015 Travel Diary day 5: The UN Memorial Cemetery and the start of the MERS scare

by Philip Gowman 2 June 2015
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Gangneung, Tuesday 2 June. Today promises to be a relatively low-key affair. As promised, Eun-jin arrives at the hotel at 8:50 to take me to the bus station, and I buy my ticket for the 9:30 to Busan, boarding a coach with maybe a dozen people on it, including a sailor in a smart white […]

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Beer-bottle VC donates medal to Korea

by Philip Gowman 26 April 2015
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Two articles this week report how Bill Speakman VC, who was on a veterans’ trip to Korea, has decided to donate his Victoria Cross to South Korea. He also wants his ashes to be scattered in the DMZ when he dies. Sadly, the medal being donated is a replica: “he sold the original to a […]

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Korean War Memorial unveiled in London

by Philip Gowman 11 December 2014
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The South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se had a busy Wednesday last week as part of a three-day visit to the UK. According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release, top of the agenda was the first annual Strategic Dialogue meeting between the two countries agreed during President Park’s state visit last year. The […]

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The 2013 armistice commemorations in Britain

by Philip Gowman 4 August 2013
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The KCC has some photos of the parade of the British Korean War Veterans from Horseguards to Westminster Abbey on 11 July. The full set is on their Flickr page. And the Anglo Korean Society has an account plus photos of the annual Korean War Commemoration Day in the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire on […]

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Kahoidong gets a Royal Visitor

by Philip Gowman 27 July 2013
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HRH the Duke of Gloucester has been in Seoul representing the Queen for the formalities which mark the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War ceasefire on 27 July. With Ambassador Wightman and the veterans minister Mark Francois he met with President Park Geun-hye, who said she was looking forward to her state visit to the […]

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A Soldier’s Tale opening pays tribute to the sacrifice of the veterans

by Philip Gowman 15 July 2013
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Three years ago, the KCC hosted a special exhibition commemorating 60 years after the start of the Korean War. 40 Korean artists were invited to submit works inspired by themes related to the war, and these works were then auctioned in aid of British war veterans. This year is 60 years after the Korean War […]

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The Veterans’ last parade?

by Events Editor 10 July 2013
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If you’re in the centre of town tomorrow (11 July) between 11am and 12 noon, be sure to look out for the British Korean Veterans Association in what could be their last formal parade in Central London. Around 500 veterans will be marching from Horse Guards to Westminster Abbey where there will be a service […]

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