Korean War Memorial Foundation of Oregon
Korean War Veterans Pose at the Korean War Memorial in Wilsonville, Oregon (Photo by Rami Hyun of Seoul, Korea).
Important Announcement: Please join us at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 28, 2025 to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War at the Oregon Korean War Memorial in Wilsonville, OR. Visit with our Korean War veterans, now in their 90’s, as they are honored for their service and sacrifice. Visitors will also have the opportunity to tour the newly opened Korean War Memorial Interpretive Center which includes photos, videos, and flipbooks with biographies of our Korean War veterans. (Note: the Memorial is always open, but the Interpretive Center, housed in the Parks & Recreation Building, is open only on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
Korean War Memorial Foundation of Oregon (KWMFO)
The mission of the Korean War Memorial Foundation of Oregon (KWMFO) is to honor our Korean War veterans and to educate the public, especially young people, about the Korean War and the lessons that were learned. KWMFO engages in activities that support the mission, including:
•Participating in the improvement of the Oregon Korean War Memorial and in activities related to the Memorial. This includes the addition of a bronze statue of General Douglas MacArthur in June of 2017, the placement of named bricks honoring veterans and loved ones in front of the memorial, and the launch of the newly opened (2024) Korean War Memorial Interpretive Center that highlights the stories of some 100 Korean War veterans.
•Organizing programs to acknowledge and honor our Korean War veterans and their families. Each year KWMFO organizes events at the Memorial to commemorate Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and either the start or the end of the Korean War – June 25th or July 27th.
•Hosting ceremonies and events to recognize the contributions of Americans and Koreans in defense of a free, democratic Republic of Korea. The ceremonies regularly welcome and honor Korean Defense veterans who have served in Korea after the Korean War. The board of KWMFO includes Korean Defense veterans as well as Korean War veterans.
•Promoting educational outreach efforts to students in Oregon and around the world. A few Oregon middle schools have exchange programs with Korea. When the Korean students visit Oregon each year, KWMFO arranges for the students to meet and listen to the stories of our Korean War veterans.
While our beautiful Oregon Korean War Memorial was built and has been maintained through the cooperation of the Korean War Memorial Foundation of Oregon, the Korean War Veterans Association-Oregon Trail Chapter and the City of Wilsonville, we acknowledge that the burden of supporting the Memorial and planning programs has become difficult for the Korean War Veterans as time passes. The Korean War Memorial Foundation of Oregon (KWMFO) was formed to carry on the great work originally provided by the veterans’ group. KWMFO was formed in April 2012 and became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that same year. Today, KWMFO partners with the KWVA-Oregon Trail Chapter and the City of Wilsonville to ensure that the original mission continues well into the future.
The Korean War Memorial Foundation of Oregon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, registered with the State of Oregon with EIN #45-4942018 and with Oregon State Business registration number #44892. KWMFO is also registered as an Oregon Corporation with the registry number of 846966-90 with the Oregon Secretary of State.
KWMFO Board Members: (Alpha Order) Greg Caldwell, Jeff Churchill, Susan Cox, Jenny Kim, Hong Sik Jeon, Seong Yun “Sy” Kim, David Kook Lee, Grace Lim, John Lim, Chuck Lusardi, John Meyer, Jung Bang Oh, SoonHyang Paik, Sung Min Park, David Penaflor, Richard Rye, Brian Stevenson and Christopher Sun. Note: The Honorable Shawn O’Neil, Mayor of Wilsonville, is an ex-officio member and carries the title of “Honorary Chair” of KWMFO.