UN Memorial Cemetery
The only UN-designated war cemetery in the world sits in a quiet corner of Nam-gu, holding the graves of soldiers from 11 nations who died during the Korean War. Unlike many war memorials, this place is contemplative rather than martial — the grounds are meticulously maintained under a joint agreement between Korea and the UN Commission for the Unification and Rehabilitation of Korea, and Korean volunteers visit to maintain individual graves, particularly those from countries whose governments no longer send official delegations. The Turkish section is the largest foreign contingent after the US, reflecting a history most visitors don't know: Turkey sent its third-largest military force to Korea in 1950. November 11 sees a ceremony where Korean schoolchildren leave flowers at the graves — a purely domestic tradition not publicized internationally. Entry is free; closed Mondays.
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