Veterans Minister Kang Jung-ai, seventh from left, German Red Cross officials and Korean government officials mark the unveiling of a monument commemorating Germany's support for Korea in the 1950-53 Korean War at the headquarters of the German Red Cross in Berlin, May 8, in this photo provided by the veterans ministry. Yonhap

A monument marking Germany's support for Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War was unveiled in Berlin earlier this week, the veterans ministry said Thursday, marking the first one of its kind in the European country.

The unveiling ceremony for the pair of bronze sculptures, commemorating West Germany's dispatch of medical staff to Korea after the conflict, took place Wednesday (local time) at the headquarters of the German Red Cross in the capital, according to the ministry. The ceremony coincided with World Red Cross Day.

In April 1953, just three months before the war ended in an armistice, West Germany announced its intent to dispatch civilian medical personnel to Korea.

From 1954 to 1959, Germany sent a total of 117 medical personnel, with the German Red Cross Hospital in Korea's southeastern port city of Busan treating nearly 300,000 U.N. soldiers and Korean civilians over the five years, the ministry said.

Korea belatedly recognized Germany as a nation that provided support to Korea in the war in 2018, making Berlin the most recent member of the current 22-nation group.

The ministry said the sculptures are a modern reinterpretation of Korean traditional totem poles, called "jangseung," and themed "War and Peace" to commemorate the German Red Cross's medical support activities.

"Korea will never forget the German medical staff who helped heal the wounds of the Korean War," Veterans Minister Kang Jung-ai said at the ceremony, according to her office. "We hope to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between Korea and Germany, allowing our friendship to be passed down to future generations." (Yonhap)