Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup dies at age 99
- 4 years ago
'6•25전쟁영웅' 백선엽 장군 별세…향년 100세
A highly decorated military figure in South Korea has died at the age of 99.
According to military officials, Paik Sun-yup died on Friday from natural causes.
Paik began his military career as an officer under the Japanese Empire in the puppet state of Manchukuo in 1941.
When the Korean War broke out in 1950,... Paik led the South's First Infantry Division,... which famously fended off troops from the North in one of the bloodiest battles of the war.
Two years into the war, he became the South's first four-star general before he retired from the military in 1959.
He then served as ambassador to China, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada... before taking up the post of transport minister from 1969 to 1971.
In recognition of his service, the government established an award in his name in 2013... for U.S. service members who contributed to Korea's national security.
A highly decorated military figure in South Korea has died at the age of 99.
According to military officials, Paik Sun-yup died on Friday from natural causes.
Paik began his military career as an officer under the Japanese Empire in the puppet state of Manchukuo in 1941.
When the Korean War broke out in 1950,... Paik led the South's First Infantry Division,... which famously fended off troops from the North in one of the bloodiest battles of the war.
Two years into the war, he became the South's first four-star general before he retired from the military in 1959.
He then served as ambassador to China, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada... before taking up the post of transport minister from 1969 to 1971.
In recognition of his service, the government established an award in his name in 2013... for U.S. service members who contributed to Korea's national security.