BUSAN, South Korea — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Sunday led a wreath-laying and tree-planting ceremony at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea (UNMCK) to honor Filipino soldiers who fought and died during the Korean War.

Accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and top Philippine officials, the President paid tribute to the heroism of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK), reaffirming the country’s “enduring commitment to peace and international solidarity.”

The delegation was welcomed by Ambassador Suh Jeong-in, custodian of the UNMCK, and Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kwon Oh-eul.

The UN Memorial Cemetery in Korea is the world’s only United Nations-designated memorial cemetery. It serves as the final resting place for soldiers from 22 nations who fought under the UN flag during the Korean War.

In August 1955, the Parliament of Korea offered the grounds for permanent use by the United Nations, a proposal later formalized through UN General Assembly Resolution 977 (X) in December 1955.

Over the decades, the site has hosted various world leaders and dignitaries. In 2011, then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon became the first UN chief to visit the memorial to pay tribute to fallen soldiers.

Among those who joined the President and the First Lady were Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Presidential Communications Office Acting Secretary Dave Gomez, Ambassador Bernadette Therese Fernandez, officials of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, and members of the Philippine defense contingent and UN Honor Guards assigned at the UN Command.

Also present were Filipino military scholars currently enrolled in South Korean military institutions, along with UNMCK Director-General for Public Affairs Park Eun-jung and Director for International Affairs John Bocskay.