GYERYONG, South Chungcheong Province — Thousands of pages of battlefield records created during the Korean War (1950-1953), from operational orders to frontline journals, are being carefully restored by the South Korean Army.

Shaped by the chaos of combat, retreats, counterattacks and long stalemates, these documents offer a window into how military decisions were made and how soldiers endured the war that broke out on June 25, 1950, and ultimately divided the Korean Peninsula.

The Army’s Korean War archives, which comprise 81,420 documents, were designated National Registered Cultural Heritage in 2020. That same year, the Army Archives Management Group launched a long-term restoration project, which has since recovered more than 40,000 items and is scheduled to continue through 2032.

Each document undergoes a detailed, multistage preservation process at a restoration site in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong Province.

The process begins with a condition assessment, where specialists evaluate any visible damage as well as acidity levels, paper type, contamination and discoloration. Based on this scientific analysis, records are prioritized for restoration.

Selected items are treated using a combination of methods. Torn or missing sections are repaired using paper materials similar to those used in the original document, dyed to match the original. Paper affected by acidification is neutralized through immersion in a weak alkaline solution.

The records are then flattened, dried and placed between sheets of polyester-based neutral paper to prevent further deterioration. A final quality check compares the restored item with its original state. For long-term storage, key records deemed to have lasting historical value are also transferred to microfilm, still considered the most durable archival medium.

“When I handle these torn and worn pages, I often imagine how young these soldiers were,” said Hwang Kyung-ryeon, 61, a restoration specialist. “Their sacrifices are embedded in every document.”

Once restored, the records are transferred to a large underground facility at Army headquarters near the restoration site, where they are kept under stable, climate-controlled conditions. Covering more than 660 square meters, the vault holds approximately 38,000 acid-free storage boxes filled with historical military documents.

Among the preserved materials is a 1.6-meter operational map that traces the 6th Division’s movements between 1950 and 1952. A particularly rare document is a handwritten order by Gen. Chung Il-kwon for the Jangsa Landing Operation — the only known official record related to student soldiers who fought in the war. Despite the passage of 75 years, the document remains intact and clearly legible.

Other materials include daily logs from guerrilla units in North Hwanghae Province and battle reports from the Christmas Hill engagement, where a single ridge reportedly changed hands dozens of times between 1951 and 1953.

“These records serve as primary sources that help us understand the war through the eyes of those who lived it,” said Commander Joo Yong-seon of the Army Archives Management Group.

“The Army is committed to preserving the nation’s valuable documentary heritage and enhancing its own historical and symbolic legacy.”

Restored documents have been digitized into 57 compiled volumes and are accessible to the public through the National Library of Korea (www.nl.go.kr) and the National Assembly Library (www.nanet.go.kr).