A Korean desk set in black lacquer with mother of pearl inlay, Korean-American diplomatic gift, 1950's

Dim.: 28 x 17 x 6 cm

Gifted by ROK General and Army Chief of Staff Chung Il-kwon to the American Major-General and Chief of Staff of the 45th Infantry Division in Korea, James Dyce Alger.

Chung graduated from the first class of the Korea Military Academy in 1946 and was commissioned into the South Korean army. He was in Hawaii undergoing military training at the start of the Korean War. He arrived in Korea on June 30, and was immediately promoted to Major-General and replaced General Chae Byeong Deok as commander of the Republic of Korea Army. Serving as a tactical commander and then Major-General in the Korean War, Chun Il Kwon, organized the South Korean soldiers at Inchon. His initial responsibilities included regrouping the routed Korean military forces and coordinating their efforts with the United Nations command. He was the commander of all ROK forces in Pusan from July–August, which would place him at the attack of Inchon. This was known for incapacitating the North Korean Army and leaving him a well-known war hero. He returned to the United States for additional training in July 1951 following the National Defense Corps Incident and the Geochang massacre. However, on his return in July 1952 he was demoted by President Syngman Rhee to a divisional command and sent to a front-line combat unit. Three months later, he was promoted to deputy commander of the IX Corps (United States) commanding front line UN forces in numerous offensives and counteroffensives. Three months after this, he was again promoted to command the Korean II Corps, which he held until the end of the war. After retiring in 1957, he served as South Korea's ambassador to Turkey. In 1960, he was appointed ambassador to France, and then served as ambassador to the United States from 1960 to 1961 and 1962 to 1963. From 1963 to 1964 Chung served as Foreign Minister of South Korea and was Prime minister of South Korea from 1964 to 1970. During his time as an ambassador, he also took the time to study political science and international relations at prestigious universities such as Oxford and Harvard. From 1971, Chung served as a member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Republican Party for three consecutive terms. He also served as chairman in the ninth National Assembly of 1973–1979. (source: Wikipedia)