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`The Republic of Korea observes the 30th anniversary of founding of its armed forces on October 1, 1978. Initially inaugurated as the National Constabulary right after the liberation of the country from the yoke of foreign rule, the armed forces were officially organized with the establishment of the Republic of Korea Government on August 15. 1948. Prior to the outbreak of the Korean War, the armed forces gallantly fought and repelled Communist rebels and guerrilla forces on numerous occasions. During the Korean War (June 25, 1950 - July 27, 1953), they successfully thwarted the Communist invaders from the north, hand in hand with the troops from 16 member countries of the United Nations, including the United States, who came to the aid of our country for the defense of freedom and peace, although they had to leave the capital city of Seoul behind when they were forced to retreat southward in the early stage of the war. Following the landing oprations of the U.N. forces in Inchon on September 15, 1950, the allied troops continued to march northward, retaking Seoul on September 28 and crossing the 38th prrallel on October 1 the same year. On November 21, the U.N. forces captured the northernmost town of Hyesanchin bordering on Manchuria. Becarse of the Communist Chiness intervention, however, the long­cherished goal of territorial unification could not be attained, and the Armistice Agreement was signed on July 27, 1953. For 10 years from 1964 through 1973, the ROK Armed Forces were dispatched to the theater of the Vietnamese War as peace crusaders, and won worldwide reputation for their brave and humane conducts both in combat and in rural community servieces there. The Army, Navy and the Air Force of the Republic of Korea have been always on vigilance, ready to crush any plot of Communist invasion from the north of Korea, as the pullout plan of the U.S. troops is gradually being executed. In observance of the 30th Armed Forces Day, the Ministry of Communications is issuing a commemorative postage stamp in the hope that all the people of the Republic resolve anew to defend our fatherland ever more courageously in closer collaboration with the wilitrary and officialdom, so that a prosperous and glorious Republic of Korea may be bequeathed to our tuture generations.`