SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (KOAA) — More than seven decades after the Korean War, two veterans living on opposite sides of the world remain connected by the same memories.
One lives in Colorado Springs. The other lives in Seoul, South Korea.
News 5's Peter Choi traveled from Colorado Springs to Seoul to deliver a message from one veteran to another. It's a reminder that the bonds forged during war can last a lifetime.
More than 76 years after the Korean War began in 1950, life in South Korea looks very different.
The streets of Seoul are crowded and fast-paced, filled with towering buildings, packed subways, and modern technology.
But for some veterans in both South Korea and the United States, the memories of war have never faded.
A Veteran's Message In Colorado Springs
The first time I met Juan "Paul" Romero was during an Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C., in October 2025.
Standing at the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the memories came rushing back.
Romero was just 18 years old when he was sent to Korea.
"I've never been there, and when I hit Korea, I went right straight to the front lines," Romero said.
He still remembers the fear.
"War is not a pretty thing."
He also remembers the South Korean soldiers who fought alongside American troops.
"We called them the ROK Army," he said.
Though they didn't always speak the same language, Romero says they shared a common purpose.
"They were soldiers, you know... young men fighting right alongside of us," Romero said.
76 years later, Romero still carries those memories. He wanted to send a message of gratitude and remembrance to the Korean soldiers who stood beside him.
"Freedom isn't cheap ... and the South Korean people know that," Romero said.
Remembering the Sacrifice In South Korea
That sacrifice is still remembered throughout South Korea.
At the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul, exhibits tell the story of families forced to flee their homes and soldiers fighting with limited supplies.
One display captures the moment the 1953 armistice agreement was signed, bringing a pause to active fighting.
Inside the museum are reminders of a war that changed millions of lives, photographs, uniforms, and names etched into history.
And somewhere in Seoul, another Korean War veteran still carries those memories.
Memories That Never Left
Inside his Seoul home, surrounded by photos and medals, Korean War veteran Jae-Shik Ryu remembers the pain of war.
"I was just 18 years old when I went to war as a student soldier," Ryu said.
He remembers dozens of B-24 bombers flying overhead and colorful parachutes filling the sky.
The war left lasting scars. Ryu says bullets are still lodged in his chest decades later.
"If we lost ground, we had to fall back. If we took it back, we moved forward again," he said. "The land we fought over is the land where people live today."
When I showed him a video of Romero's letter, Ryu listened carefully.
Then he shared a message of his own.
"If the United States had not helped during the Korean War, South Korea would not exist today," Ryu said. "We are deeply grateful to the American people."
A Shared History
Though they grew up in different countries, spoke different languages, and lived completely different lives, both men were forever shaped by the same war.
It was a conflict that divided nations and families.
Yet somehow, it also connected two strangers separated by thousands of miles and more than seven decades of time.
Their shared history is one neither man will ever forget.News5's Peter Choi traveled from Colorado Springs to Seoul to deliver a message between two Korean War veterans whose lives were forever shaped by the same conflict.
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