PYEONGTAEK, Gyeonggi Province — Canadian Army Lt. Gen. Derek Macaulay had a simple message for the two elderly Korean veterans seated in front of him at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek on Tuesday: "Sunsaengnim, kamsahamnida" — "Thank you, sirs," in Korean.

Macaulay, deputy commander of the United Nations Command, expressed his gratitude to retired Col. Kim Hong-su and former Sgt. Hwang Soo-gon, both of whom served in the 1950-53 Korean War.

His Korean-language greeting opened the 75th anniversary ceremony of the US-led multinational command, which was established on July 7, 1950, in response to North Korea’s invasion of the South.

More than 100 people attended the event, including service members from the UNC’s member states, foreign ambassadors, South Korean military officials and Patriots and Veterans Affairs Vice Minister Lee Hee-wan.

The national flags of South Korea, the UN Command and its member nations lined the field, as ceremonial gunfire echoed across the base.

Macaulay presided over the ceremony on behalf of Gen. Xavier Brunson, who is the commander of the UNC, US Forces Korea and the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command. Brunson did not attend but issued a written message to mark the day.

"Today, we honor the legacy of those who served, and reaffirm our collective commitment to peace, security and the values that bind our nations together," the statement read.

Since the signing of the Armistice Agreement on July 27, 1953, the UNC has remained responsible for maintaining the ceasefire, monitoring military activity along the Demilitarized Zone and facilitating communication between the two Koreas when necessary.

At a press conference after the ceremony, when asked about allegations that the South Korean military had flown a drone over Pyongyang last year under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, Macaulay confirmed that the case was currently under review by the UNC.

“That’s specific to an investigation,” he said. “I’m not able to comment on the specifics, but I can tell you that those investigations are ongoing. They are continually assessed and provided to those that require them.”

Meanwhile, the deputy UNC commander did not confirm whether the UNC had been in communication with the North regarding a North Korean civilian who crossed the Demilitarized Zone earlier this month. While he said the UNC maintains daily military communication with the North, he declined to say whether the border crossing was addressed in those exchanges.

He instead cited the evolving role of the multinational command, highlighting the need to respond to emerging security challenges in an increasingly interconnected world. As part of that mission, he stressed continued cooperation with South Korea’s armed forces.

“We’ll continue to work with the South Korean armed forces every day to ensure the safety and security of the people and the peninsula,” he said.

Over the course of the three-year conflict, more than 1.9 million personnel from 22 countries, including South Korea, served under the UNC flag, providing combat, medical and logistical support.

The United States recorded over 37,000 fatalities, with 92,000 wounded and 8,000 missing. Other UN forces suffered more than 3,100 deaths, with total casualties exceeding 16,000.

Sixteen countries — the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands, Canada, France, New Zealand, Philippines, Turkey, Thailand, South Africa, Greece, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ethiopia and Colombia — contributed combat troops during the Korean War. Five others — Sweden, India, Denmark, Norway and Italy — provided medical support and humanitarian aid.

Of these, Ethiopia, India, Luxembourg and Sweden are no longer active participants in the UNC. In August 2024, Germany joined as the 18th current member. South Korea is a member of the UNC, serving as the host nation.