Marines pay silent tribute during a ceremony at Daejeon National Cemetery in Daejeon, Nov. 23, to mark the 14th anniversary of North Korea's shelling of Yeonpyeong Island near the western maritime border. Two Marines and two civilians were killed in the surprise attack. Yonhap

South Korea's Marine Corps chief vowed Saturday to never forget the sacrifices of two Marines killed in a 2010 North Korean artillery attack on a western border island.

Lt. Gen. Kim Kye-hwan, who doubles as the command's head, made the remarks during an annual ceremony marking the 14th anniversary of the attack on Yeonpyeong Island near the western inter-Korean sea border, which killed two Marines and two civilians.

"The freedom and peace we enjoy today are thanks to the dedication and sacrifices of the heroes who shed their blood and sweat to protect our nation," Kim said during the event at Daejeon National Cemetery in Daejeon, some 140 kilometers south of Seoul.

He further emphasized that the ceremony was a solemn reminder of their ultimate sacrifice and a pledge to continue safeguarding the western border islands with unwavering strength and determination.

The exchange of artillery fire came on Nov. 23, 2010, after the North shelled the front-line island. It marked the North's first attack on a civilian area in the South since the 1950-53 Korean War. (Yonhap)