<Special Contribution> The Historical Significance of the 76th Anniversary of the Korean War and Current Challenges
Daesan Shin Sang-gu, Director of the Chungcheong Institute of Culture and History (Doctor of Korean Studies, Poet, Literary Critic)
June 25, 2026, marks the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, a truly historic day.
The Korean War was a fierce international ideological war of fratricide that raged across North and South Korea for 1,129 days, from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. It was no different from a third world war limited only to nuclear weapons, resulting in the loss of many lives and property. A total of 19 million people—more than half of the combined population of 30 million in South and North Korea at the time—were affected, including 620,000 South Korean soldiers, 160,000 UN forces, 930,000 North Korean troops, 1 million Chinese troops, 2.5 million civilians, 3.7 million displaced persons, 300,000 war widows, 100,000 war orphans, and 10 million separated families.
Furthermore, our beautiful land of Korea was devastated, and half of our industrial infrastructure was lost, resulting in a loss of $3 billion (equivalent to 3 trillion won in current currency value alone), which is one-quarter of our national wealth. In addition, there was a massive population migration as countless civilians in South Korea were abducted or defected to the North, while numerous civilians from North Korea fled south.
The number of people abducted to the North during the Korean War is estimated at 100,000. Kim Il-sung of North Korea systematically abducted people for the recruitment of the People's Army and forced labor, with the Seoul region accounting for the largest number of abductees at 23,000. This is followed by Gyeonggi with 18,000, Chungbuk with 13,000, and Gangwon with 9,000. Among them were many influential figures, including independence activists Noeun Kim Kyu-sik (1881-1950) and Cho So-ang (real name: Cho Yong-eun, 1887-1958), novelist Chunwon Lee Gwang-su (1892-1950), poet Jeong Ji-yong (1902-1950), scholar of Korean studies Widang Jeong In-bo (1893-1950), historian Namchang Son Jin-tae (1900-1960), and journalist Ahn Jae-hong (1891-1965). The issue of repatriating those abducted to the North during the war was not included in the 1953 Armistice Agreement. Although it was agreed to be addressed in subsequent political talks, the matter eventually fizzled out.
The abduction of civilians during wartime is a war crime under international law, yet it was simply overlooked. Meanwhile, the armistice line was established, dividing North and South Korea and intensifying the confrontation between the two systems. In the case of my family, my father, Shin Jong-sun, participated in the Battle of Geumhwa District and suffered on the brink of life and death. Furthermore, my family had to endure unspeakable physical and mental anguish as we had to flee twice.
Although it has now been 76 years since the outbreak of the Korean War, the conflict has not yet ended and remains in a state of armistice. Due to the ceaseless provocations by the North Korean authorities, hostile tensions persist between the two Koreas to this day. However, marking the 76th anniversary of the Korean War, an objective comparison of the military capabilities of South and North Korea reveals that the military assessment agency Global Firepower (GFP) projected South Korea's defense power in 2026 to rank 5th out of 145 nations, while North Korea's would rank 31st. When examining key conventional force indicators, such as military equipment and troop numbers, the gap between the two Koreas is evident.
South Korea has 500,000 troops, compared to North Korea's 1.28 million. South Korea possesses approximately 410 fighter jets, while North Korea has about 810. South Korea has around 2,200 tanks, compared to North Korea's 4,300. South Korea has about 90 warships, compared to North Korea's 420. South Korea has about 10 submarines, compared to North Korea's 70.
South Korea also holds the advantage in artillery firepower, which was considered a symbol of North Korean military power and a key means of threatening Seoul. According to the Global Firepower (GFP), South Korea operates 2,780 self-propelled howitzers, well over double the 1,300 operated by North Korea. In terms of towed artillery, South Korea possesses 5,800 units, more than eight times the 700 units held by North Korea. While the K-9 self-propelled howitzer is South Korea's mainstay, North Korea's forces consist primarily of aging, outdated equipment.
The quantitative and qualitative disparities in air and maneuver capabilities are even greater. Regarding attack helicopters, which directly strike ground forces and act as a natural enemy to tanks, South Korea possesses 113 units, whereas North Korea has only 20. Similarly, for transport aircraft used to carry troops and supplies, South Korea has 40, while North Korea has just one.
In the case of naval forces, North Korea, which possesses a large number of small coastal patrol boats and older submarines, leads South Korea with a total of 332 vessels compared to South Korea's 215. However, South Korea received the highest rating for its destroyer and frigate capabilities, which possess substantial maritime operational and strike capabilities.
However, North Korea has developed and possesses weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including 30 nuclear weapons (Stockholm International Peace Institute 2023 Yearbook), which constitute asymmetric warfare capabilities, making it the biggest variable in inter-Korean military power dynamics.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the ROK-US Mutual Defense Treaty signed in 1953 following the Korean War, 28,500 US troops are stationed in South Korea. The US possesses a main force of approximately 90 fighter jets, 280 armored vehicles, 60 Patriot missile systems, 40 helicopters, 40 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MRLS) launchers, and 10 field guns. It is extremely fortunate that the US military's reinforcement capabilities for wartime amount to 690,000 personnel, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, along with approximately 2,000 aircraft and 160 warships.
Among the displaced and the injured, there are still many who complain of economic, physical, and psychological suffering. There are many people whose whereabouts remain unknown to this day due to being forcibly abducted to North Korea or going missing, and the excavation of the remains of fallen soldiers continues in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
There are also many who participated in the Korean War as regular or irregular forces but have not yet received veterans' benefits due to insufficient evidence. Therefore, I believe it is necessary for the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to improve the treatment of displaced persons, the wounded, and Korean War veterans; to verify the identities of those forcibly abducted, missing, or who participated as irregular forces to provide appropriate compensation; and to continue the excavation of the remains of fallen soldiers in the DMZ.
In order for the Republic of Korea to achieve peaceful reunification of the North and South and build an advanced democratic welfare state where all citizens prosper equally, the Korean government must, above all else, solidify its independent national defense capabilities based on a strong military alliance with the U.S. and Japan, while preparing for military threats not only from North Korea but also from neighboring great powers such as China and Russia. Fortunately, domestic and international expert organizations assess the current military power of the South Korean armed forces as ranking seventh in the world, following the United States, Russia, China, India, and Japan. This rank is higher than that of France and the United Kingdom.
In terms of defense science and technology rankings, South Korea is ninth, following the United States, France, Russia, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, and Israel, and its defense export volume is also highly rated, placing it in the ninth tier.
On the 76th anniversary of the Korean War, we must exercise patience and cease mutually hostile actions or rhetoric that run counter to agreements, such as military operations or the scattering of anti-North Korea leaflets.
Furthermore, South and North Korea must promptly implement previously agreed-upon matters—such as the normalization of the Kaesong Industrial Complex and Mount Kumgang tourism, the connection of railways and roads, the repatriation of South Korean POWs related to the Korean War and reunions of separated families, the breaking away from pro-American subservience and dependence on foreign powers, and a pursuit of disarmament—to quickly restore severed inter-Korean communication lines and relations. At the same time, we must foster an atmosphere for peaceful reunification between the two Koreas by multifacetedly revitalizing economic, cultural, and academic exchanges to restore national homogeneity and resolve the issue of separated families.
The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (Minister Kwon Oh-eul) held the "76th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony of the Korean War" on Thursday, June 25, at 10:00 AM at the Suwon Convention Center (Convention Hall) in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. Under the theme "The Republic of Korea Defended by Heroes, Shining in the World," the 45-minute event, attended by approximately 1,000 people including Korean War veterans, key government and military officials, diplomatic representatives from participating nations stationed in Korea, and future generations, featured an opening video, the entry of flags of participating nations, a national ceremony, government awards, a commemorative address, a commemorative performance, and the singing of the Korean War song. The Pledge of Allegiance to the National Flag was recited by Army Captain Choi Dae-won, a soldier and descendant of a Korean War veteran. During the government awards ceremony, the Order of Military Merit (Chungmu and Hwarang) was posthumously awarded to three irregular forces personnel who distinguished themselves during the Korean War. The event conveyed a commitment to remember how the Republic of Korea, defended by the sacrifices of Korean War heroes, has leaped forward as a leading nation in the world, and to carry on the values of freedom and peace into the future.
In his commemorative address, Lee Jae-myung (born 1963), the 21st President of the Republic of Korea, stated, "The peace and prosperity we enjoy today were by no means obtained for free," adding, "They were forged through the noble sacrifice and devotion of heroes who traversed the battlefields, dedicating everything they had when the fate of the motherland hung in the balance." He continued, "Remembering and honoring heroes is the most important duty of the nation and our community, as well as the proper duty of descendants who live enjoying freedom, prosperity, and peace today." He added, "It is a firm principle of the government based on popular sovereignty that special compensation and proper respect must follow special sacrifices and dedication for the nation."
President Lee further stated, "I will protect the people and territory with a strong national defense and will certainly create a peaceful Korean Peninsula where there is no worry about war or need to fight." He conveyed, "I believe this is the surest repayment we can offer to the heroes who defended this country by sacrificing their lives and youth."
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