Australian National Korean War Memorial

General information

A monument commemorates  the 17000 Australians who served under United Nations command in the Korean War. The design characterises the period of the Korean War. The use of white and grey tones in the memorial, and granite and gravel, recall the harsh climate and terrain in Korea - lasting impressions of those who fought there. A central walkway leads to a semi-enclosed contemplative space.
A boulder from a Korean battlefield is a commemorative focal point and a word in Korean script represents `Peace and Independence`. A scroll recognises the 21 countries that committed combat or medical units to the United Nations Command. On both sides of the memorial are figures representing the Australian sailors, soldiers and airmen who served in Korea. Battlefield boulders are set in fields of stainless steel poles which symbolise those who died. The obelisk commemorates those who died with no known grave. The inscription, taken from the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, Pusan, is a poignant link with the Australians who are buried there.