South Korea was among the U.S. allies that sent troops to Vietnam during the Vietnam War. On the morning of February 12, 1968, 74 women, children and elderly citizens from the villages of Phong Nhut, Phong Nhi, and Giap Ba of Dien Ban District in Central Vietnam were rounded up and massacred by South Korean soldiers. It was the third civilian massacre by South Korean troops in the northern villages of Quang Nam Province during the Vietnam War. The massacres were all witnessed and reported by foreign and Korean journalists.

During the last several years, South Korean humanitarians organizations have carried out social and charity projects in Quang Nam Province, including building two other steles in memory of the villagers killed by South Korean forces in the villages of Thuy Bo and Ha My.

“It is our wish to memorialize the painful history of Phong Nhi Village and partly console the souls of the departed… in order to turn to a new peaceful page in [the two nations’] history,” said Noh Un Hee, Chief Representative of the Nawauri Organization.

Mr. Hoang Chau Sinh, Vice-Chairman of the Union of Friendly Organizations of Quang Nam Province, praised the efforts of the Korean humanitarian and youth organization Nawauri.

Prior to the ceremony, the Korean Youth Pioneers joined the youth of Dien An Village in social work and cultural exchange activities.

The Korean youths and families and over 200 Dien An villagers at the inauguration ceremony of the memorial stele all signed their names in support of the lawsuit against U.S. Agent Orange producers filed by Vietnamese victims of the deadly wartime chemical defoliant.

There are still over 20,000 Agent Orange cases that need help in Quang Nam Province, according to Mr. Sinh.

(Reported by Truong Dien Thang and Huynh Hoa – Translated by The Vinh)