Dozens gathered at Burnaby's Korean War memorial Saturday to pay tribute to B.C.'s veterans of that conflict.
Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan laid a wreath at the memorial to commemorate the 66th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War.
Among those in attendance were veterans of the war, members of Metro Vancouver's Korean community, Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Assembly of B.C., and federal Opposition leader Andrew Scheer.
"We're here today to commemorate the sacrifice that Canadians and Koreans have made to protect democracy and protect freedom on the [Korean] Peninsula," Scheer said. "And also to make sure the next generation remembers what's at stake and what types of sacrifices were made."
Saturday's gathering was the sixth annual commemoration of the Korean War, and it came with both memories of the past and hope for the future.
Ralph DeCoste fought in the Korean War and stayed in South Korea after it ended to help rebuild. At the ceremony, he said he's disappointed more progress hasn't been made in resolving the 66-year-old conflict.
"I think it's really stupid that, you know, after all this time, the two Koreas are not yet united," DeCoste said. "I hope one day that there will be enough good sense that they do become united, but I'm quite pleased with the way South Korea has done their work and has become such a prosperous nation."
