Hansik (한식) is a traditional Korean holiday dedicated to honoring ancestors. Every year on April 5, ethnic Koreans—Koryo-saram—who observe this established tradition, visit burial sites, tend to them, and perform ceremonial rituals. This practice unites generations and serves as a reminder of the value of memory and respect for those who have passed away.
For the second time, the War Museum observed Hansik. Essays about ethnic Koreans who defended Ukraine became part of the public space of remembrance:
- Artem Khan, a Ukrainian boxing champion who went to the front at the age of 19. He was killed on April 30, 2022, in the Donetsk region.
- Ihor Pak, who was killed by the occupiers in his own home in the Kharkiv region in March 2022.
- Pavlo Lee, an actor who died on March 6, 2022, during the evacuation of civilians from the city of Irpin.
- Maksym Dehai, a defender of Ukraine who died on November 21, 2022, from wounds sustained during combat in the Luhansk region.
- Oleksii Pak, a defender of Ukraine who was killed during artillery shelling on April 17, 2023, in the Donetsk region.
- Ruslan An, a veteran of the Anti-Terrorist Operation Zone (ATO Zone) who joined the ranks of defenders at the start of the full-scale invasion. He went missing on January 11, 2023; it was later confirmed that he was killed near the settlement of Klishchiivka in the Donetsk region.
“We are here today because we remember. And we thank everyone who defended our land,” emphasized Ihor Kim, President of the Association of Koreans of Ukraine.
Kim Yong-Jae, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Ukraine, also addressed the attendees, highlighting the significance of tradition as the foundation of memory.
Dmytro Hainetdinov, Deputy Director General of the War Museum, noted the continuity of cultural cooperation with the Republic of Korea. Notably, in April 2022, the museum’s photo exhibition “Kyiv: A One-Day Report. March 8, 2022” was presented at the International Peace Center on Jeju Island, while the Hansik ceremony at the War Museum is now becoming a tradition in its own right.
The event was moderated by Ihor Lim, Head of the Youth Development Department of the All-Ukrainian Association of Koreans. Visitors took part in the ritual of remembrance (jesa), which involves symbolic food offerings to ancestors.
Artifacts from the front lines belonging to ethnic Koreans defending Ukraine, as well as items representing Korean cultural identity, were donated to the museum’s collection.
The Korean community of Ukraine is an integral part of Ukrainian society, combining the preservation of its own traditions with participation in the shared experience of struggle and remembrance.
Hansik at the War Museum is a space for collective commemoration, where memory, dignity, and respect for culture form a living bond between generations.
