WFS in Brussels, Belgium, recently handled a special diplomatic shipment of 20,000 face masks for South Korea. The high quality masks are a gift to the Belgian military veterans who volunteered as part of the UN defence forces sent to assist South Korea during the Korean War.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, joint-country celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the Korean War between the two countries were cancelled, so the South Korean government decided to send these face masks as a symbol of solidarity, peace and gratitude to the Belgian people.
The shipment arrived at Brussels Airport (BRU) on 9 May from Incheon International Airport (ICN), South Korea, on Asiana Airlines flight OZ587. The WFS and Asiana teams worked closely together, in partnership with the South Korean Embassy, to ensure the smooth arrival and handling of the shipment.
“The WFS team in Belgium is proud to have worked with Asiana Airlines and the South Korean Embassy to transport this shipment, a token of gratitude to the 3,500 Belgian volunteers who fought alongside South Korea 70 years ago,” said Marc Claesen, Senior Vice President Commercial Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa at WFS.
Hae-Sook Minnebo, Finance and Administration Manager for Asiana Airlines in Brussels, congratulated the teams on their collaboration: “I would like to thank both WFS and Asiana Airlines for the excellent teamwork they displayed in handling this important shipment. And a special thank you to Mimoun El Kaddouri, Key Account Manager at WFS Belgium, who was on site to manage the operation.”
Half of the 20,000 masks received by the surviving military veterans will be donated to the medical units of the Belgian defence force.
To find out more about this shipment and the role Belgium played in the Korean War, refer to the links below:
