Education Center at The Wall Receives Support from Republic of Korea and Federation of Korean Industries

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) announced today that the campaign to build the Education Center at The Wall has garnered new support. The Republic of Korea (ROK) recently committed an additional 2 billion KRW, bringing the Korean government's total commitment to 5 billion KRW over the past three years. They were joined by the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) with a new commitment of 3 billion KRW. As part of the strong U.S.-ROK alliance, the Republic of Korea sent 320,000 soldiers to fight alongside Americans during the Vietnam War, and 5,099 Koreans lost their lives. 

"We are so pleased to work with our allies in the Republic of Korea to remember the sacrifices of Americans and Koreans during the Vietnam War," said Jim Knotts, president and chief executive officer of VVMF.  "Most Americans don't realize that Koreans fought and died alongside us in the Vietnam War, and the Republic of Korea has fought alongside the U.S. in every major conflict since the Korean War ended. The Education Center at The Wall is needed to ensure that future generations never forget the awful cost of war and that we should honor our warriors regardless of our feelings about any particular war."

"The relationship between the Republic of Korea and the U.S. is vital to the entire world. The alliance has never been more important than it is now, as our two countries make policies to cooperatively deal with constant provocations and the nuclear threat from North Korea. The Education Center will memorialize our historical alliance and remind us all of the importance of constantly strengthening the ROK-US partnership," said Park, Sung Choon, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Republic of Korea.

"The Republic of Korea and the U.S. have been strongly allied since their common experiences during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. With FKI's commitment, Korean enterprises are now starting to participate in the fundraising for the Education Center. FKI will do its best to be another stepping-stone in solidifying the ROK-US alliance," said Dr. Lee, Seungcheol, Vice Chairman and CEO, Federation of Korean Industries.

The Education Center at The Wall will be an interactive learning facility on the National Mall where our military heroes' stories and sacrifice will never be forgotten. The Center will feature the faces and stories of the more than 58,000 American service members listed on The Wall and honor America's Legacy of Service, including those serving in our nation's armed forces today.  A collection of approximately 6,000 items left as tributes at The Wall over the past 34 years will be a central exhibit.

An education gallery will introduce various topics about the contentious period of the Vietnam era in our nation's history, from politics, to popular culture, to the news media, to the conduct of the war itself.  Special exhibits will highlight the contributions by allied countries that sent troops to Vietnam including the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, and Thailand.

To explore the exhibits in the future Education Center at The Wall, please visit: www.vvmf.org/thecenter.

About the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is the nonprofit organization that founded the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in Washington, D.C. in 1982. VVMF continues to lead the way in paying tribute to our nation's Vietnam veterans and their families. VVMF's mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of service in America and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era.

VVMF is in the fundraising stages to build the Education Center at The Wall. The Center will be an interactive learning facility on the National Mall where our military heroes' stories and sacrifice will never be forgotten. The Education Center will feature the faces and stories of the more than 58,000 men and women on The Wall and honor America's Legacy of Service, including those serving in our nation's armed forces today. Time Warner is the Lead Gift Benefactor in the campaign to build the Education Center at The Wall. To learn more about VVMF and the Education Center at The Wall, visit www.vvmf.org or call 866-990-WALL.

Contact: Heidi Zimmerman
Phone: 202-330-0090 X118
[email protected]

SOURCE Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

Related Links

http://www.vvmf.org