The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs held a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the start of the Korean War, to honor those who served and fought in the 1950-53 conflict.

Key government and military figures attended the national ceremony at the Daejeon Convention Center, titled “The Republic of Korea, Defended by Heroes, Lives On.” 

Daejeon, located in the country’s central region, briefly served as a temporary capital of South Korea early in the conflict, between June 27 and July 16, 1950.

The event was held on the day that North Korea invaded the South 75 years ago.

Also among some one-thousand-300 guests were diplomatic envoys from countries that fought alongside South Korea as part of the United Nations Command.

The ceremony included a memorial service, performances and speeches, as well as the awarding of government medals to Korean War veterans.