Korean Gets Medal for War on Terror

A Korean lieutenant colonel on active duty will be awarded a medal from the U.S. in recognition of his contributions to the U.S.’s “war on terror.”

According to the army on January 8, In Seong-hwan, the commander of the training battalion for newly-enrolled soldiers of the 27th Infantry Division, will be decorated with the U.S. Meritorious Service Medal at the U.S. Embassy in Korea on January 20.

In, who has served as a strategy-planning officer under the U.S. Central Command in Florida for a year since December 2003, made an appraisal report on strategic environment within the area during that period. The army explained that his report contributed significantly to operations of Central Command and its prosecution of the war on terror.

The U.S. government strictly screens candidates for the medal and decided In was deserving in May 2005. Peter Pace, the Pentagon’s chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, planned to attend the ROK-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) held in Seoul in October 2005 and award the medal, but his visit to Korea was cancelled, delaying the medal ceremony.

“I just did my duty, so this is a prize that I hardly deserve. I would like to share this honor with all of my fellow servicemen in my battalion who believed in me,” said In.

In was given command of security in the Joint Security Area in Panmunjom, the first Korean to be given that responsibility, in April 1992.

Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com