The weekly French magazine, Le Point published a lengthy article on the relations between Ethiopia and South Korea, that goes back to the end of the World War II, when Ethiopia fought side-by-side with South Korea against North Koreans and Chinese troops. The article written by the magazine’s special correspondent to Korea, Sénami Juraver chronicles the history of participation of Ethiopian Soldiers in the War and the story of Ethiopians currently living in South Korea. Excerpts.

” Blood brothers “! This is the expression that Korean and Ethiopian officials use when they talk about the relationship between their two countries. These words also aptly describe the bond that Ethiopian veterans of the Korean War share with their Korean brothers in arms. It must be said that since then, Ethiopians have been present in South Korea. One thousand Ethiopians live in the country known as the Land of Morning Calm.

Among them is Bethel, a grand-daughter of a veteran of the Korean War, who is studying there.

Two years ago, Bethel told her grandfather that she was also leaving for Korea to study. “He was even happier than I was,” recalls the 22-year-old. In Ethiopia, her grandfather is a national hero. Colonel Melesse Tessema, now 89 years old, participated in the Korean War between 1950 and 1953. He is also the president of the Ethiopian Korean War Veterans Association.

When Bethel was a child, he brought her with him to the association’s headquarter every day. That is how he passed on to his granddaughter his story, and the history of their country. Bethel also grew up steeped in the Korean culture as the veteran community and their families gathered every Sunday for South Korean-related events (music, food, history, etc.). “In Ethiopia, the veterans feel they have contributed to Korea’s growth,” says Bethel. That is why the Colonel takes great pride in seeing his granddaughter study there: the efforts and sacrifices of the past “have not been in vain”.

Ethiopia- part of the fight for freedom

Ethiopia is one of twenty-one United Nations member countries to have responded to the National Security Council’s call for military assistance in response to North Korea’s invasion of South Korea. The decision of Emperor Haile Selassie was motivated by the desire to defend “international justice, world peace, and humanity,” said Bekuma Merdassa, Minister Counsellor at the Ethiopian Embassy in Seoul.

Ethiopia has always been able to fight external aggression to maintain its independence. In the aftermath of the First World War, the country became a member of the League of Nations (predecessor of the United Nations). In 1936, when Ethiopia had been occupied by Mussolini’s fascist Italy, Emperor Haile Selassie asked for the support of the League of Nations in the name of the principle of collective security. His speech made him a spokesman for the oppressed and a symbol of freedom. But the country lost the war because of the lack of collective defense, though it managed to chase the Italians five years later.

Stemming from the Emperor’s consciousness of collective security responsibilities, the country dispatched an infantry battalion, consisting of 6,037 soldiers to stop the North Korean offensive.

The Kagnew Battalion, a heroic conduct

During the clashes in Korea, the Ethiopian troops honoured the name given to them by Haile Selassie: “Kagnew is a very powerful word in Amharic. This is the Emperor’s mission order. Kagnew means Fight for peace, don’t surrender,” says Bekuma Merdassa. The Kagnew Battalion is mainly composed of members of the Imperial Guard. They fought mainly in the mountainous parts under the command of the American forces. They took part in 253 battles and were never defeated,” the minister-counsellor said. “Only 121 men died and nearly 500 were injured, but they never gave up.”

Last summer, Colonel Melesse Tessema returned to Korea where he shared precious moments with his granddaughter. “I had the chance to travel through part of Korea with him and see where he fought,” says Bethel. “It was incredible. I felt proud. But sad too. Because the story of these fighters was actually very difficult, just like the situation at that time.

After the ceasefire of July 27, 1953, Ethiopian troops remained in Korea for a few more years to help rebuild the country.

Ethiopia’s contribution to the Korean War is commemorated in a number of sites, including the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul. But South Korea has decided to go further in sharing this shared history. In 2007, it opened a memorial centre entirely dedicated to Ethiopians. The Memorial Hall for Ethiopian Veterans in the Korean War is located in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, east of Seoul. During the Korean War, the city saw many fierce battles for strategic mountaintop. The centre is built on two floors. On the ground floor, visitors can follow a video recalling the highlights of the Ethiopian fighters, then go to the showroom. The second floor is dedicated to Ethiopian culture.

South Korea and Ethiopia have had diplomatic relations for 66 years now. The relations have been particularly strengthened over the past 20 years. In terms of recognition of Ethiopia, many initiatives have been and are being implemented by Korea. Since 1996, the government and private agencies have, for example, have been providing financial support to the surviving Ethiopian veterans. Their descendants are also eligible for scholarships.

This is also the case for Bethel, who is taking her International Studies course at Hankuk University “thanks to my grandfather,” as she herself says. Currently, more than 400 young Ethiopians are studying in South Korea through various types of scholarships. Ambassador Shiferaw Shigutie Wolassa, who arrived in South Korea in January 2019, plans to expand the scholarship program to allow more young Ethiopians to come to Korea to pursue their studies.