10 Korean War veterans, families from Netherlands invited to PyeongChang Olympics

SEOUL, Feb. 7 (Yonhap) -- Ten Korean War veterans from the Netherlands and their families have been invited to the upcoming 2018 PyeongChang Olympics in South Korea, the veterans affairs ministry said Wednesday.

The Dutch veterans group will arrive in South Korea on Thursday for a six-day stay during which they will pay their respects at a monument commemorating a Korean War battle, watch Olympic competitions and experience Korean culture, according to the Ministry of Patriots & Veterans Affairs.

Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte and Pi Woo-jin, minister for veterans affairs, plan to join them when they visit the monument marking Dutch troops' participation in a Korean War battle at Hoengseong, about 140 kilometers east of Seoul.

More than 5,300 Dutch troops fought for the south side during the Korean civil war. About 120 of them were killed in action. The Hoengseong battle claimed 17 Dutch lives, including that of Lt. Col. Marinus P.A. den Ouden, leader of a Dutch battalion.

During the memorial service, South Korea will recognize the late Dutch lieutenant colonel as this month's Korean War hero and the Dutch prime minister will convey a book depicting Dutch soldiers' experiences of the Korean War to the South Korean side, the ministry said.

pbr@yna.co.kr
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