LIG Nex1, a South Korean defense manufacturer, said Sunday that it had donated $30,000 to a veterans’ association in Colombia for their contributions to the Korean War.

LIG Nex1 executives and employees took part in an event in Colombia last week to express their gratitude to the veterans on behalf of the company and South Korea, with hopes of continuing the two countries’ long-lasting friendly relationship.

LIG Nex1 chief operating officer Lee Joung-sik said the company has sought to thank the veterans and their families as they risked their lives for the peace and security of South Korea.

“Although the gift is small, LIG Nex1 executives and employees made the contribution, and we hope that it can be used for good things,” LIG Nex1 COO Lee said in a press release.

Colombia, the only Latin American country that participated in the war against the communist North, deployed some 5,000 soldiers to the Korean Peninsula.

Colombia lost more than 200 soldiers, with about 500 wounded during the South-North conflict, which was the only foreign war it participated and offered assistance in.

There are about 700 Korean War veterans living in Colombia, with the veterans’ association preserving war archives and documents, and supporting them and their families through collaborations with the South Korean government and civic groups, according to LIG Nex1.

LIG Nex1 has continued to expand relations with Colombia through various nongovernmental channels such as the Korean Council on Latin America and the Caribbean, the company said.

“We are thankful for this friendly relationship that has lasted more than 60 years,” said Epifanio Rodrigues, the president of Colombia’s veterans association.

“We hope that this will continue for eternity.”

LIG Nex1 participated in a defense exhibition in Bogota last week, featuring its portable surface-to-air guided missile Chiron and antiship cruise missile Haeseong.

By Park Hyong-ki (hkp@heraldcorp.com)