Visitors can spot the Statue of Brothers as soon as they enter the War Memorial of Korea. This statue symbolizes the suffering of the Korean people during the Korean War. The Statue of Brothers is, in fact, based on a true story. The outside of the statue represents the dramatic reunion between the elder brother who was an army officer of South Korea and his younger brother who was a soldier of the North Korean army in the battlefield. Ultimately, this statue reminds us of the sorrow of those approximately ten million who were separated by the different ideologies of the North and the South. There is also a large dome underneath the Statue of Brothers. Inside the dome, a mosaic picture portrays the spirit of the Korean people. On the floor of the dome, there is a map-engraved allies which assisted the Republic of Korea in the Korean war.
A list of the soldiers that died in the war is posted in front of the entrance of the Sanctuary of National Defense with a sentence, "Let's pray for the cherished memories of the souls of all the defenders of the Republic of Korea." It reminds visitors of the patriotic spirit of their ancestors who sacrificed themselves during the country's darkest hours.
The War Memorial of Korea consists of eight exhibition rooms: The Memorial Hall, The War History Room, The Korean War Room, The Expeditionary Forces Room, The ROK Armed Forces Room, The Defense Industry Room, The Large Equipment Room and The Outdoor Exhibition Room.
The Memorial Hall leads visitors to ruminate about the great spirit and achievements of national heroes since the Chosun dynasty, who protected the nation from many foreign invasions. Viewers can find statues of thirty-five war heroes such as Yi Sun-shin, Kim Jwa-jin, Yun Bong-gil and An Jung- geun and so on when they enter there. "The Roll of Honor Illuminated" that commemorates of the martyred patriots is inscribed on the floor. The pictures of Guardian spirits of national defense are in the ceiling for the viewers to spot once they raise their heads.
Then, let's look around the War History Room. First, the exact model of Kobukson (a turtle-shaped battleship) that was built by admiral Yi Sun-shin during Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592 attracts viewer's attention. Also a set of scaling ladders that was used to attack the enemy's fortresses make a grand impression on visitors. The War History Room classifies its contents by the prehistoric age, the three kingdoms era, the Koryo Dynasty, the Chosun Dynasty, the Taehan Empire, and the Japanese colonial periods. The room displays old military records, arms and historical relics at those periods.
The Korean War Room displayed photographs, dioramas, and records showing the entire story of the Korean war. The room offers an indirect experience of the Korean war to the post-war generations of Koreans and non-Koreans.
The museum is very nice. People can easily understand the Korean history owing to the explanations written in English. It was noticed that the museum did not judge Japan as the critical counterpart but gave accurate information on the relationship between the two countries, said a foreigner who was touring around the museum.
The ROK Armed Forces Room shows the development from the initial period to the modernized state of the Army, Air Forces, and Marine corps. Viewers can see a variety of weapons, uniforms, and the ways of how the soldiers were training. The Large Military Equipment Room and the Outdoor Exhibition Room displays a wide range of large-scale armaments including fighters, tanks, guns, and vehicles used in the Korean War. These rooms also display all kinds of large military equipment since the Korean war and weapons such as missiles, anti-aircraft artillery, rifles and ammunitions produced by the Korean Defense Industry.
Then, lastly the Expeditionary Forces Room explains the courses of Korean troops being sent abroad for participation in wars such as the Vietnam War, Gulf War and the battles in Somalia, West Sahara, and Angola Peace-Keeping Operations. The Expeditionary Forces Room displays records related to the activities and achievements in those days. There are several dioramas in the room. Vietnamese army tunnels which vividly show the figure of underground caves during Vietnam War are arranged in a natural looking setting.
Visiting the War Memorial of Korea is a golden opportunity which you can indirectly experience the war materials of the time. How about having a good time in the museum?