The “2nd Yangpyeong International Academic Symposium 2026,” organized by Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul), was held on October 29 under the theme “From Yangpyeong to the World: The Battle of Jipyeong-ri and 140 Years of Friendship Between Korea and France.”
 
The symposium was hosted by Yangpyeong County (County Governor Jeon Jin-seon) and organized by Kookmin University’s Moncler Korean War Research Center and the Institute for Liberal Arts Education Design, with support from the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the French Embassy in Korea, and the French Association for the Korean War Veterans of the United Nations. Kookmin University’s Industry-Academia Cooperation Foundation secured a contract worth a total of 150 million won, and the two research institutions—led by Associate Professor Lee Keun Se of the College of Liberal Arts—were responsible for the practical organization of the event.
 
This year marks the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and France and the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Jipyeong-ri; this symposium was organized to shed light on the history of French military participation during the Korean War and the cooperative relationship between the two nations. In particular, the symposium focused on reexamining the historical significance of the Battle of Jipyeong-ri and examining the activities and contributions of South Korean soldiers who were assigned to the French battalion and participated in the battle.
 
The Battle of Jipyeong-ri, which took place in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, in February 1951, was a pivotal battle in which UN forces repelled a large-scale offensive by Chinese Communist forces, thereby turning the tide of the Korean War. At the time, the French battalion, commanded by General Monclar, participated in the battle alongside U.S. forces, and South Korean soldiers, assigned to the French battalion, also played an active role. The symposium was further enriched by the presence of General Monclar’s son and representatives of the family of Captain Koo Pil, who commanded the South Korean company attached to the French battalion.
 
Notably, Yangpyeong County, the UN-France Korean War Veterans Association, and Kookmin University’s Monclar Korean War Research Center successfully uncovered a list of approximately 180 South Korean soldiers who served in the French battalion through joint research. Based on these findings, the symposium examined the little-known history of these soldiers’ participation in the war and discussed the need for further archival discovery and collaborative research.
 
Kookmin University plans to use this symposium as an opportunity to deepen historical research on the Battle of Jipyeong-ri and expand academic exchange and cooperation between Korea and France. Furthermore, the university expects to contribute to the promotion of a culture of honor for veterans by utilizing the region’s historical assets, as well as to the advancement of the values of international peace and cooperation.