Busan is good

2025 Eurasia City Diplomacy Delegation Spreads a Message of Peace and Friendship in Istanbul

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Busan Metropolitan City Mayor Park Heong-joon and Jeon Yong-woo, CEO of the Busan Global City Foundation, announced that the “2025 Eurasia City Diplomacy Delegation” carried out exchange activities in Istanbul, Türkiye, to promote Busan as a “City of World Peace,” reaffirm the significance of peace and friendship, and strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two cities.

The Eurasia Diplomacy Delegation hosted a “Thank You Ceremony for Korean War Veterans in Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Founding of the UN” on September 20 at the Ali Emiri Efendi Cultural Center in Istanbul.

The event was co-hosted by Busan Metropolitan City and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. It brought together Turkish veterans of the Korean War and their descendants (about 150 people), Istanbul Acting Mayor Nuri Aslan, Eurasia City Diplomacy Delegation Leader Hwang Seok-chil, Busan Global City Foundation CEO Jeon Yong-woo, and Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Istanbul Lee Woo-sung. The participants shared messages of peace and deepened the bonds of friendship between the two nations.

The ceremony began with a silent tribute to fallen patriots, followed by congratulatory speeches from city representatives, the screening of a video introducing the UNMCK, the presentation of appreciation plaques, and a dedication performance featuring the Busan Metropolitan City Dance Company, delegation youth members, and the Istanbul Dance Company.

One of the attending veterans recalled memories of the Korean War and expressed his joy at witnessing Korea’s remarkable development during a later visit. He was relieved that his sacrifices to protect peace had not been in vain.

In addition, Istanbul presented a plaque of appreciation to commemorate the delegation’s visit, symbolizing eternal friendship and brotherhood. Since establishing a sister-city agreement in 2002, Busan and Istanbul have maintained steady exchanges, and this visit served as an important milestone in their cooperation.

Türkiye dispatched 21,212 troops to the Korean War—the fourth largest contingent after the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Of these, 741 were killed in action, and the remains of 462 are interred at the UNMCK in Busan.

On September 19, prior to the ceremony, youth delegates and descendants of Turkish veterans recommended by the city of Istanbul visited youth centers and libraries to foster exchanges. On September 21, following the ceremony, young people from both cities toured cultural and historical facilities under the initiative of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

Meanwhile, each year on October 24, United Nations Day, Busan hosts a memorial ceremony at the UNMCK, the only UN memorial cemetery in the world, to honor fallen soldiers who died in the Korean War and to commemorate the spirit of the UN.

Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Lee Jun-seung stated, “Busan, the first city encountered by UN forces during the Korean War, was able to grow into today’s global hub of logistics and exchange thanks to the sacrifices of UN veterans, including those from Türkiye. As the only city in the world with the UN Memorial Cemetery, we will make every effort to ensure that the UN’s core values of peace, development, and human rights are realized across the globe.”