Located in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, the War Memorial is made up of several monuments, each dedicated to a particular element of South Korea's military history. The Korean War monument honors the men and women of both the United States and South Korea who served in armed combat. There are also several monuments dedicated to Korean and U.N. soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in armed combat for the betterment of the Republic of Korea.
Built during the Choson dynasty, the Jongmyo shrine has become the official home of the ancient ancestral tablets of the Choson Empire. In addition, the majority of the ancient Choson kings and queens have been buried in the Jongmyo shrine. Descendants within the lineage of Choson royalty meet at the shrine once a year to pay respect to their regal ancestors. This ceremony is often accompanied by music originally performed during the Choson dynasty.
One of several monuments created by the government of North Korea, the Monument to the Three Charters for National Reunification portrays the deep desire of the Korean people to unify as one nation under the North Korean ruling family. The monument, constructed in 2001, arches over the Tongil Expressway and displays two women in traditional clothing holding a globe displaying Korea. The "Three Charters" originally conceived of by Kim Jung Il are independence, reunification and unity.
