A ceremony was held to inter the remains of Sergeant Lim Jin-won, who sacrificed himself during the Battle of Dabudong in the Korean War, at the Seoul National Cemetery. The Police Agency announced the ceremony took place on November 1. Attendees included family members, Commissioner General Jo Ji-ho of the National Police Agency, the Chief of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, the Director of the Seoul National Cemetery, the head of the Ministry of National Defense’s excavation team for war remains, as well as representatives from bereaved families’ organizations, totaling around 100 people.
Sergeant Lim’s remains, discovered and identified after 74 years, were transported with due police honors from Dongducheon, where his family resides, to the cemetery. He was posthumously promoted by one rank to honor his service. Sergeant Lim participated in the Battle of Dabudong in Chilgok, Gyeongbuk, where he lost his life. His remains were found in the region through the Ministry of Defense’s excavation project that began in 2000, and identification was made possible through DNA sample comparisons with family members.
Previously, without discovered remains or confirmed circumstances of death, he was recorded as having died at the hands of North Korean forces in the Jeonbuk region. Lim was the nephew of Lim Kyu, one of the 48 national representatives of the March 1st Movement, and the granduncle of Colonel Lim Ik-soon, a hero of the Battle of White Horse Hill. He left for war after the outbreak of the Korean War, leaving behind two children, and never returned. His daughter, Lim Jung-soon, finally located her father after 74 years.
The family expressed their joy at finally being able to honor Lim’s memory in the cemetery, despite having no photograph to remember him by. They hope the nation will continue to honor fallen police officers. During the Korean War, to reinforce the military’s numbers, a total of 63,427 police officers participated, with an estimated 3,131 killed and 7,084 missing in action. To commemorate police officers who fought in the war, the Police Agency holds memorial events every June 6, including the “Fallen and Deceased Police Officers Memorial Ceremony.” Last August, in collaboration with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the “Gangjeong Battle Police Officers’ Joint Cemetery” which houses around 60 officers was designated as a national cemetery.