Skies weep as Ethiopia's Kagnew Choir offered heavenly songs of remembrance
By Han Jun-guPosted : July 22, 2026, 23:12Updated : July 22, 2026, 23:12
The Kagnew Choir performs at the Seoul-Ethiopia cultural exchange performance held at the Garden of Gratitude in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, on July 22, 2026. AJP Han Jun-gu
SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) -The heavenly voices of Ethiopian children drifted across Gwanghwamun Square on Wednesday afternoon, transforming Seoul's Garden of Gratitude into a place of remembrance as the Kagnew Choir sang Korean folk songs in tribute to the veterans who fought in the Korean War 75 years ago.
The cultural exchange performance, titled "The Courage of That Day, Today's Song," commemorated the 75th anniversary of Ethiopia's participation in the Korean War. Hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, it brought together the Kagnew Choir — founded in 2018 and made up of descendants of Ethiopian Korean War veterans — and Seoul city arts ensembles before an audience of about 300, including Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, veterans' affairs officials and cultural figures.
The choir performed beloved Korean songs, including Spring in My Hometown and Alone Arirang, in fluent Korean, drawing warm applause from the audience. Their youthful voices carried special significance, representing a new generation preserving the legacy of the Ethiopian soldiers who fought on the Korean Peninsula.
The Kagnew Choir performs at the Seoul-Ethiopia cultural exchange performance held at the Garden of Gratitude in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, on July 22, 2026. AJP Han Jun-gu
The choir performed beloved Korean songs, including Spring in My Hometown and Alone Arirang, in fluent Korean, drawing warm applause from the audience. Their youthful voices carried special significance, representing a new generation preserving the legacy of the Ethiopian soldiers who fought on the Korean Peninsula.
Ethiopia was the only African nation to send ground troops to fight under the U.N. Command during the Korean War. Its Kagnew Battalion earned a distinguished reputation on the battlefield without suffering a single captured soldier. The name "Kagnew," derived from Amharic, is commonly understood to mean "bringing order out of chaos" or "defeating the enemy."
The Kagnew Choir performs at the Seoul-Ethiopia cultural exchange performance held at the Garden of Gratitude in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, on July 22, 2026. AJP Han Jun-gu
As the final notes faded beneath the summer sky, the performance served not only as a cultural exchange but also as a living tribute, linking the sacrifices of the wartime generation with the voices of their descendants seven decades later.
The Kagnew Choir performs at the Seoul-Ethiopia cultural exchange performance held at the Garden of Gratitude in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, on July 22, 2026. AJP Han Jun-gu
The Kagnew Choir performs at the Seoul-Ethiopia cultural exchange performance held at the Garden of Gratitude in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, on July 22, 2026. AJP Han Jun-gu
Among the delegation was Tesfaye Asmamaw, 95, a veteran of the famed Kagnew Battalion, who traveled to Seoul alongside 34 choir members aged 8 to 16. The group arrived on June 22 for a 36-day visit marking the anniversary of Ethiopia's deployment during the Korean War.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon presents bouquets of flowers to Ethiopian children at the Seoul-Ethiopia cultural exchange performance held at the Garden of Gratitude in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, on July 22, 2026. AJP Han Jun-gu
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon delivers remarks at the Seoul-Ethiopia cultural exchange performance held at the Garden of Gratitude in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, on July 22, 2026. AJP Han Jun-gu