Korean War in Color

A Correspondent's Retrospective on a Forgotten War

As if it weren’t bad enough that the Korean War is, for many in the West, a “forgotten war” wedged between the larger conflicts of World War II and Vietnam, its legacy has been conveyed largely in the medium of black and white photography, putting up yet another psychological barrier between the conflict and modern day audiences. In John Rich’s “Korean War in Color: A Correspondent's Retrospective on a Forgotten War,” published by Seoul Selection to mark the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, the renowned war correspondent breaks down this barrier with a jaw-dropping collection of color photographs of the Korean War, perhaps the finest collection of color images of the conflict anywhere. In vivid hues of blue, green and red, Rich’s photographs take the war out of the history books, allowing readers to better connect with a conflict that, while forgotten, continues to impact the lives of Koreans to this day.

About the Author

Working with International News Service, the predecessor of UPI, American John Rich spent three years in Korea covering the Korean War, from the outbreak in June 1950 to the armistice in 1953. After the war, he joined broadcaster NBC as a war correspondent, covering Vietnam, African civil wars and other major 20th century conflicts. In 1991, at the age of 73, he went to the Middle East to cover the first Gulf War. Currently retired, he splits his time between Maine and Florida.