Incheon, South Korea, still reveres the legacy of General Douglas MacArthur. His bronze statue in Freedom Park overlooks the crucial Yellow Sea channel, a silent sentinel to history.
Exactly 75 years ago this September, American and South Korean Marines, led by MacArthur, launched a daring amphibious assault on Incheon. Battling intense enemy fire, they scaled formidable sea walls, eventually reclaiming the city from North Korean forces and pushing eastward to liberate Seoul, just 25 miles away.
Often hailed as the U.S. military’s boldest amphibious operation since D-Day, the Incheon Landing irrevocably altered the course of the Korean War and cemented MacArthur’s name in South Korean history. For Incheon, this isn’t just history; it’s a fundamental part of the city’s identity, celebrated annually through poignant commemorative ceremonies.
A statue of General Douglas MacArthur stands prominently at Freedom Park, overlooking Incheon.
Recent footage shows South Korean and U.S. Marines marching through Incheon streets, a powerful display of the enduring alliance.
Just this past Sunday, the streets of Incheon buzzed with excitement as South Korean and U.S. Marines paraded, met by cheering crowds waving both nations’ flags. The landing’s anniversary saw amphibious assault vehicles powering into the harbor, followed by Marines raising the South Korean flag on a pier, with a large screen displaying historic black-and-white images of the original landing 75 years prior.
While the Incheon landing clearly symbolized America’s unwavering commitment to South Korea, the city’s annual ‘We Remember’ celebrations highlight the deep gratitude many South Koreans continue to feel. However, recent actions by the Trump administration, including significant tariffs on South Korean exports and the arrest of hundreds of its citizens working at a Georgia factory, have strained this crucial alliance.
This isn’t the first time the U.S.-South Korea relationship has faced scrutiny. Some progressive voices now view America not as a savior, but as an overbearing power. There have even been demands for the removal of the MacArthur statue, originally funded by citizen donations in 1957, with one incident involving a fire set at its base.
The strategic Incheon Landing operation is meticulously honored at the Memorial Hall for Incheon Landing Operation, a key historical site within the city.
A solemn monument stands at Green Beach, designating it as one of the pivotal landing zones during the historic Incheon operation.
Despite these tensions, Incheon has consistently moved forward with its yearly celebrations, proudly asserting its unique role in South Korea’s modern history and its unbreakable bond with the United States.
As Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong Bok emphasized, ‘Without the Incheon landing, South Korea as we know it would not have existed. It serves as a powerful reminder that a strong alliance is essential to keeping South Korea free and defending the free world.’
On that fateful day, September 15, 1950, Allied transport ships stretched endlessly along the Incheon channel. American Marines bravely descended cargo nets into landing craft, while warships relentlessly shelled the beaches, softening North Korean defenses. Overhead, Allied planes strafed and bombed the fortified sea walls.
A historic black-and-white photograph captures General MacArthur, at the center, observing the intense shelling of enemy positions just before the decisive Incheon landing.
A vivid re-enactment of the Incheon Landing on its 75th anniversary showcased what was arguably the U.S. military’s most audacious amphibious assault since D-Day.
Today, Incheon’s thriving port serves as a stark illustration of the vast differences between South Korea’s globally connected society and the isolated North Korean regime.
The waters of Incheon are now bustling with cruise ships and commercial vessels, exporting South Korean goods like Kia cars and importing vital resources such as oil and natural gas to power one of Asia’s largest economies. Towering port silos and derricks stand where once lay the formidable sea walls scaled by U.S. Marines. Wolmido, an islet that suffered devastating napalm attacks from American warplanes prior to the landing – destroying North Korean defenses but also tragically claiming civilian lives – is now a vibrant amusement park, echoing with the joyful screams of children on roller coasters.
An interactive map highlights Incheon, strategically located in northwestern South Korea, a vital city and port situated close to the nation’s capital, Seoul.
Further south, the city’s former mudflats have been transformed into a modern expanse of piers laden with shipping containers, alongside the innovative Songdo free economic zone. This vibrant area hosts branches of American universities, a booming biotech sector, and impressive skyscrapers housing United Nations offices. Incheon has rapidly ascended to become one of South Korea’s fastest-growing cities, surpassing Busan in economic output and ranking second only to Seoul.
Today’s Wolmido, once an islet tragically napalmed by American warplanes during the Korean War, now thrives as a popular amusement park, a testament to the city’s transformation.
Incheon Port, a bustling modern hub, now occupies the historical grounds once known as Red Beach, a crucial primary landing zone during the Incheon Landing.
Generations ago, Incheon’s youth would pose for wedding and school photos by the MacArthur statue. Interestingly, former Incheon Metropolitan City Museum director You Dong-hyun recalls a time when some shamans even revered the American general as a deity, performing rituals around his likeness. While those practices have faded, a recent evening saw an elderly man circling the statue, chanting Buddhist verses, while others enjoyed leisurely dog walks in the surrounding park.
Lee Sang-suk, 60, shared, ‘There is profound respect for General MacArthur and the American troops who sacrificed during the landing. Their image as national saviors resonates particularly strongly among the older generations here.’
Retired journalist Yong Suck Shin, who was just nine years old when he witnessed American Marines distributing chocolates to children after Incheon’s liberation, recently helped curate an exhibition honoring Marguerite Higgins. Higgins, an American war correspondent, famously scaled a sea wall alongside the Marines to deliver her groundbreaking report on the landing.
Mr. Shin proudly recounted, ‘I am so proud of the landing that whenever I traveled abroad, I carried a photo of the MacArthur statue to explain my city’s origins.’
For centuries, Korea was famously known as the ‘hermit kingdom.’ It wasn’t until the late 1800s that it began opening for trade, with Incheon then just a scattering of muddy fishing huts. Its strategic proximity to Seoul quickly led Japan, China, and the United States to establish trade posts there.
As a historical gateway to South Korea, Incheon boasts a vibrant Chinatown, famously recognized as the origin of the beloved national noodle dish, jajangmyeon.
Today, Wolmido has transformed into a lively tourist destination, complete with a bustling ferry dock, an array of seafood restaurants, and exciting theme parks lining its pier.
Incheon also served as the entry point for American missionaries, who introduced Western medicine and education. This influence is still felt today, with approximately 30 percent of South Koreans identifying as Christian. The city marked many ‘firsts’ for Korea, including its first railway, highway, telegram lines, and even its inaugural baseball and soccer games. Today, the historic port area draws tourists with its museums, charming turn-of-the-century themed alleys, and its vibrant Chinatown, renowned as the birthplace of the iconic noodle dish, jajangmyeon.
Vice Mayor Hwang Hyojin aptly states, ‘Modern civilization truly made its entrance into Korea through Incheon.’
Following the war, Incheon became a magnet for migrants seeking work, whether unloading American aid like flour shipments or finding employment in the rapidly emerging factories. Yet, it consistently remained in the shadow of its larger neighbor, Seoul. Often seen merely as a transit point to the capital, Incheon struggled to establish its own distinct identity.
This began to shift dramatically in the early 2000s with the grand opening of Incheon International Airport, now one of the world’s largest, and the development of the Songdo free economic zone—both remarkable achievements built on reclaimed land.
During Monday’s ceremony, General Xavier T. Brunson, the highest-ranking U.S. military officer in South Korea, declared, ‘The Republic of Korea we see today—strong, prosperous, and democratic—is a living testament to what can be achieved when allies and partners unite.’
An aerial view reveals Central Park in Songdo, a sprawling green space meticulously developed on reclaimed land, symbolizing Incheon’s ambitious urban planning.
Triple Street, a bustling and popular mall, stands as a modern centerpiece within Songdo, Incheon.
However, this historical narrative proves more challenging for younger generations to fully embrace, as they, unlike their grandparents, have no personal experience of war. The recent actions of the Trump administration have further complicated this perception.
Mr. You, the former museum director, noted that this year’s ceremonies felt ill-timed, as many people felt humiliated by the ‘Georgia episode.’ He added, ‘Some were so enraged they suggested South Korea should align with China, though I doubt their sincerity.’
For 49-year-old Kim Young-rak, the significance of the Incheon landing has only grown. He points to North Korea’s escalating nuclear threat and the intensifying rivalry between the United States and China as reasons why the alliance remains vital.
Mr. Kim, who attended the Sunday parade with his family, passionately stated, ‘Seventy-five years ago, Americans traversed the Pacific to help repel communists advancing across the Korean Peninsula. Today, South Korea and the United States must once again stand united to deter both North Korea and China.’