Archive · 18 Aug 2026
South Korea, US honour 1976 axe attack soldiers at 50th anniversary
A long time ago, in 1976, two American soldiers were guarding a special area between two countries called North Korea and South Korea.
Some workers wanted to trim a big tree because it was blocking the view, and the soldiers went with them to keep everyone safe.
North Korean soldiers showed up and told them to stop, and then a fight started.
Sadly, the two American soldiers, Arthur Bonifas and Mark Barrett, got hurt very badly and passed away.
This made the United States and South Korea very upset, and they worked together to show they would stay strong.
A few days later, they cut down the tree as part of a big military operation.
Recently, people held a ceremony to remember these two brave soldiers, because 50 years had gone by since it happened.
Family members of the soldiers came, along with many military people from different countries.
They laid flowers near where the tree used to be and shared stories about how brave and kind the soldiers were.
The ceremony reminds everyone that peace is something we have to protect and that the United States and South Korea are still close friends.
A memorial service was held Tuesday marking the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Panmunjom axe murder incident.
The ceremony honoured Maj. Arthur Bonifas and 1st Lt. Mark Barrett, two US soldiers killed by North Korean soldiers on August 18, 1976.
Some 130 military personnel from South Korea, US forces and the United Nations Command attended, along with family members of the fallen soldiers.
North Korean soldiers led by senior Lt. Pak Chol attacked Bonifas and Barrett with axes, clubs and crowbars after they ignored demands to stop trimming a poplar tree in the Joint Security Area.
The incident prompted a rare statement of regret from North Korean leader Kim Il-sung and led to Operation Paul Bunyan, which cut down the tree three days later.
UNC Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Scott Winter read a tribute message on behalf of UNC Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson, emphasising the strength of the South Korea-US alliance.
- Who
- Maj. Arthur Bonifas and 1st Lt. Mark Barrett, two US soldiers who were killed in 1976, honoured at a ceremony involving South Korea, the United Nations Command, US forces and the soldiers' family members.
- What
- A memorial service marking the 50th anniversary of the 1976 'Panmunjom axe murder' incident, in which North Korean soldiers killed the two American officers.
- When
- Tuesday, on the 50th anniversary of the incident, which occurred on August 18, 1976.
- Where
- The Joint Security Area inside the Demilitarised Zone, near the Bridge of No Return, and at the memorial site where the poplar tree once stood.
- Why
- To honour the two fallen soldiers and reaffirm the strength and enduring legacy of the South Korea-US alliance.
Alliance and remembrance perspective
Military response perspective
Significance of the incident
Alliance and remembrance perspective
The incident is remembered as a tragedy that underscores the human cost of the fragile peace and the sacrifices that have strengthened the South Korea-US alliance.
Military response perspective
The incident is remembered as a clash that pushed the United States to the brink of war with North Korea and prompted Operation Paul Bunyan, a massive show of military force.
Nature of the attack
Alliance and remembrance perspective
The attack was an 'unprovoked, brutal and deliberate act of violence' that shattered the quiet of the Joint Security Area, highlighting the need to guard peace.
Military response perspective
The attack was a deliberate provocation by North Korean soldiers that demanded a strong, visible military response from the US and South Korea just two decades after the armistice.
- Event
- 50th anniversary memorial service for the 1976 Panmunjom axe murder incident
- Date of incident
- August 18, 1976
- Deceased
- Maj. Arthur Bonifas and 1st Lt. Mark Barrett
- Perpetrator
- North Korean soldiers led by senior Lt. Pak Chol
- Trigger
- Trimming of a poplar tree blocking the view of UNC soldiers in the Joint Security Area
- Aftermath
- Rare statement of regret by Kim Il-sung and Operation Paul Bunyan to chop down the tree three days later
- Ceremony attendance
- About 130 military personnel from South Korea, US forces and the UNC, plus family members
- Tribute reader
- UNC Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Scott Winter, reading on behalf of Gen. Xavier Brunson