South Korea – Ethiopia
Paying Tribute
Memorial Site
This memorial located in Chuncheon is dedicated to the Ethiopian soldiers of the Kagnew Battalion who fought in the Korean War. From April 12, 1951 to July 27, 1953, approximately 3,150 Ethiopians fought in Korea. After the armistice, almost 3,000 more defended South Korea until 1965. Ethiopia’s contributions to the United Nations effort consisted of four battalions and a company.
A total of 122 Ethiopian soldiers were killed, and 536 were wounded. There were no prisoners of war.
Overall, as a unit, the Ethiopians never lost in combat during the war and earned the US Presidential Unit Citation. The Ethiopian soldiers also deducted a portion of their monthly salary to support Korean children orphaned by the war.
