Veterans perform the wreath presentation during Wilsonville's Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony. (Jonathan House / Wilsonville Spokesman)

Later this month, Wilsonville residents will be able to commemorate the Korean War’s outbreak 75 years after North Korea invaded South Korea.

The event at the Oregon Korean War Memorial in Town Center Park will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 28. It will honor the anniversary of the war’s beginning on June 25, 1950, and involve guest speakers as well as a wreath ceremony honoring those who died in the war. Greg Caldwell, who helped organize the event as chair of the Korean War Memorial Foundation of Oregon, said organizers expect 250 people to be in attendance.

During the event, eight Korean War veterans will be awarded the Ambassador for Peace medal, which is given to all veterans of the war by the government of South Korea. In an email, Caldwell wrote that attendees will be able to hear from a range of speakers such as Eunji Seo, who is the consul general of the Republic of Korea in Seattle, as well as Wilsonville Mayor Shawn O’Neil, Director of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs Dr. Nakeia Daniels and others. It may include a flyover as weather permits, Caldwell said.

After the event, community members will be able to tour the Korean War Memorial Interpretive Center, which opened last year and is located in the city’s Parks and Recreation Administration building in Town Center Park.

The event was organized through a partnership between the Korean War Memorial Foundation of Oregon, the Oregon Trail Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association and the city of Wilsonville. The Aurora Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol will also help with the event.

Although the anniversary is on June 25, Caldwell said organizers chose to hold the event on a Saturday to allow for a bigger turnout. He said events like this one help people remember the war and avoid repeating past mistakes, adding that 22 countries aided South Korea in the war with some soldiers traveling from as far as Turkey or Australia. Caldwell also noted that many young people are unfamiliar with the war’s history.

“This is a good chance for younger people to attend … to learn, and it’s a great way to honor all of the Korean War veterans who served in Korea,” Caldwell said.