Busan Port, the Gateway to the ROK!

The UN forces dispatched to protect South Korea and numerous logistics supplies for war assistance mostly came through the Busan Port.

Troops landing in the Busan PortUnited Nations Peace Memorial

Landing in the Busan Port

This is the appearance of Busan Port in Busan City in 1950. After the outbreak of the Korean War, UN forces consisting of 100,000 soldiers and 2 million tons of war supplies entered through the Busan Port over the course of three months.

The bathymetric chart of the Busan Port, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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The bathymetric chart of the area near the Busan Port, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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Loading and unloading in the Busan PortUnited Nations Peace Memorial

 During the war, Busan Port served as a rear logistics base because it was easy to defend and to launch operations. It quickly rose to become a key port for unloading and handling military supplies for the UN forces and relief supplies and daily necessities from all over the world.

Korean workers arranging bridge materials at Busan PierUnited Nations Peace Memorial

It was Pier 1 of Busan Port that the UN forces mainly utilized.  Pier 2, along with Pier 1, was a key rear logistics base of Busan Port, and was used as a military supply base to transport uniforms, necessities and food for the American and UN forces to fighting forces.

The town around the Busan Port at the timeUnited Nations Peace Memorial

Pier 2, which was placed under requisition by the US armed forces immediately after the outbreak of the Korean War, was returned from the UN forces to the Korean government on October 25, 1952. After the armistice, US cargo ships with post-war relief and aid supplies frequented Busan Port, and cargoes such as flour and corn meal were usually unloaded at Pier 2.

Flour sacksUnited Nations Peace Memorial

Flour sacks were provided as aid

They made hand-pulled dough soup with the flour they received as aid through Busan Port to relieve their hunger. The flour sacks were recycled for various purposes and were also called "handshake flour" because two shaking hands were printed on them. This was the logo of USAID, a foreign assistance organization established by US President Kennedy.

Bags of corn flour, which were aid goods during the Korean WarUnited Nations Peace Memorial

Corn flour bags were provided as aid

Porridge or bread made from corn flour was also helpful in relieving hunger. The bread served in schools was primarily made using corn flour, the relief supply.

The air route of the Busan Port appearing in Life Magazine (September 4, 1950)United Nations Peace Memorial

An issue of Life, a US magazine, published on September 4, 1950 featured an article that showed the movements of the US military. It can be seen that the US troops and supplies entering through Busan Port, the only supply base on the Korean Peninsula at the time.

LIFE Magazine (1950.9.4.)United Nations Peace Memorial

Pier 2, which was requisitioned by the US armed forces immediately after the outbreak of the Korean War, was returned from the UN forces to the Korean government on October 25, 1952 when the war winding down.  Busan Port was a gateway to the outside world and a gateway to migration, a base for invasion, and a port of hope where veterans and relief supplies came in.

LIFE Magazine (1950.9.4.)United Nations Peace Memorial

Busan Port is a valuable port that contains the history of joy, anger, sorrow, and sorrow in Korea, and has become the driving force behind the development of Korea, which has grown based on imports and exports.

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