Members of the Kagnew Choir, composed of descendants of Ethiopian Korean War veterans, pose at LG Science Park in Seoul on Thursday. Photo by LG Group
SEOUL, July 24 (UPI) — South Korea’s LG Group said Friday it provided a dedicated rehearsal venue for the Kagnew Choir, composed of descendants of Ethiopian veterans during the Korean War.
The Seoul-based conglomerate said the initiative is part of its efforts to honor the veterans’ sacrifices and deepen ties between the two countries. South Korea’s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs also participated in the project.
Founded in 2018, the Kagnew Choir had long operated without a permanent place to rehearse, requiring its members to move between locations and occasionally practice outdoors. It also lacked basic audio equipment for accompaniment and music playback.
To assist, LG Group established a soundproof rehearsal room fitted with audio facilities inside the Korean War Veterans Hall in Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia deployed ground combat troops during the Korean War, sending its elite unit known as the Kagnew Battalion, which means “one who annihilates the enemy.” During the three-year war, 122 Ethiopian soldiers were killed and 536 wounded.
The Kagnew Choir is mainly composed of third-generation descendants of Kagnew veterans. It arrived in Seoul late last month for a nationwide concert tour marking the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War on June 25.
“We remain committed to helping the descendants of Korean War veterans build economic self-sufficiency while empowering them to develop their cultural talents and pursue their dreams,” LG Group said in a statement.
The share price of LG Group’s holding company, LG Corp., fell 3.64% on the Seoul bourse on Friday, while the benchmark KOSPI dropped 5.72%. The group’s major subsidiaries include LG Chem, LG Electronics, LG Uplus, and LG Energy Solution.
