Frieling named as leading educator on Korean War

Jul. 31—A Lafayette High School social studies teacher and member of the Missouri Western State University faculty has just returned from an event in Arlington, Virginia, where he was named to an international panel of expert historians.

The 2022 World Congress of Teachers of the Korean War included Derek Frieling, who has contributed to the sponsoring Korean War Legacy Foundation since 2018. These efforts are focused on remembering the millions of soldiers and civilians who died in the conflict seven decades ago that actively raged for three years but never formally ended.

"We are challenged to continue to support the memories of our Korean War veterans and use the example they set in our classrooms and to promote the same by other teachers," Frieling said.

Frieling's appointment coincided with the 69th anniversary of the July 27, 1953, armistice agreement between the U.S., the Republic of (South) Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea, as well as the People's Republic of China. As each year goes by, the number of living veterans who were involved in the conflict decreases, expanding the duty of historical societies to work on preserving their memory.

"I am sure that all of the Korean War veterans will be very proud that we are training the next generation of teachers on their honorable service during the Korean War," said Jongwoo Han, president of the legacy foundation, as quoted in a news release.

The anniversary inspired the unveiling of the Memorial Wall at the Korean War Veterans Memorial, which Frieling attended alongside delegates from all over the U.S. and South Korea. The wall has been under construction for a year at the larger memorial, which has existed at the West Potomac Park of Washington, D.C. since 1995. The new wall is engraved with the names of 36,574 Americans who died in the war effort from 1950 to 1953, as well as some 8,000 Koreans who died while supporting American forces.

Although it is sometimes called the "Forgotten War," the Korean conflict is hardly consigned to the past. Indeed, few aspects of America's history of military involvement overseas have a similarly profound impact on present-day events. As part of the United Nations Command, U.S. and South Korean troops remain deployed on the South-North border and train for a battle that could happen at any time.

Above all else, Frieling said, his objective is to establish the legacy of America's triumph in the war, that those who died gave their lives for something greater. Though South Korea existed in the 1950s and for some years thereafter as a militarized, dictatorial regime, it is today a stable, prosperous, free society and a strategic ally of the U.S.

Had American sacrifices not been made during the war, Frieling said, the North would have conquered and none of that would be possible.

"I want all of my students to remember those who served for a greater purpose," he said. "Freedom is not free. This war was an absolute victory. The hope for freedom in Korea was preserved."

Marcus Clem can be reached at marcus.clem@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowClem