About Ned
Ned Forney is a writer living in Seoul, South Korea. He is currently working on a non-fiction book about the Battle of Chosin (Changjin) Reservoir and Hungnam Evacuation, the largest US military amphibious evacuation of civilians, under combat conditions, in American history.
The all-but-forgotten 1950 US/UN humanitarian operation saved 100,000 North Korean refugees during the winter of 1950. An estimated one million decedents of the unprecedented evacuation now live in freedom in South Korea, the United States, and around the world. The current president of the Republic of Korea, Moon Jae-in, is one of them.
With the support of the ROK Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA) and the Hungnam Evacuation Memorial Committee, Ned has interviewed 30 former Hungnam refugees and hundreds of Korean War veterans.
He writes articles for newspapers, magazines, and periodicals in Korea and the US, and he has a weekly blog. He has also been a guest blogger for War History Online.
When he’s not writing, Ned enjoys giving lectures to schools and universities, non-profit and civic groups, government agencies, and military organizations. He has also served as a Hungnam Evacuation/Korean War consultant for NBC’s history-based drama, Timeless, and the PBS “American Experience” documentary, The Battle of Chosin.
Ned is a Marine veteran, career educator, and grandson of the late Colonel Edward H. Forney, USMC, the evacuation control officer at Hungnam in December 1950.
Contact Ned or find him online at:
In Case You Missed It
Radio Free Asia
Radio Free Asia interviewed Ned for their December 2021 feature on the Hungnam Evacuation.
18.5 million People Reached!
Ned's post on Jimmy Stewart reached more than 18 million people on Facebook, and his follow-up blog, with updates, was shared more than 57K times.
Hungnam Evacuation Makes Headlines Around the World
Ned was interviewed for a BBC article and video about the historic operation that saved 100,000 North Korean refugees during the darkest days of the Korean War.
No Gun Ri Peace Forum
Ned presented at the No Gun Ri Peace Forum in South Korea and was interviewed by South Korean press.
Interview with Arirang News
Ned was interviewed by Arirang News on June 25, 2020, the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War.
Lecture at ROK Marine Corps Base
Ned gives lectures about the Battle of Chosin and Hungnam Evacuation to ROK Marines based throughout South Korea. He is pictured here talking with officers at the ROK Marine Corps base in Pohang on August 24, 2018.
Korean American Association Luncheon
Honoring Ban Ki-moon
Ned (center) with Ban Ki-Moon, 8th UN Secretary-General (on Ned’s right) and Park Jin, Chairman of the Korean American Association (on Ned’s left) at Seoul’s Four Seasons Hotel on May 31, 2018.
Hungnam Evacuation Presentation
and Geojo-do Visit
Ned gave a presentation about the Hungnam Evacuation to Burley Smith and his SS Meredith Victory delegation on April 5, 2018. His lecture took place on the cruise ship, Star Legend, during its stop in Busan, South Korea. (This picture was taken on Geoje Island at the Hungnam Evacuation Memorial the following day).
Hungnam Remembered Presentation
Ned was invited to present with Mr. J. Robert Lunney at the Korea Society in NYC on Dec. 14, 2017. They talked about the Heungnam Evacuation and Mr. Lunney's experience on the Meredith Victory.
Hungnam Evacuation Memorial Ceremony
Ned was a guest speaker at the Hungnam Evacuation Memorial Committee's annual ceremony on Geoje Island, South Korea on May 26, 2017. His speech was mentioned in an article written by Yonhap News.
Guest Lecturer at Korea University
On April 6, 2017, Ned gave a presentation about Hungnam to over 150 students in the Business Department of Korea University.
Dr. Hyun Bong-Hak Memorial Statue
Ned served on the Dr. Hyun Bong-hak Memorial Committee. The statue unveiling ceremony took place on December 19, 2016, at the Severance Alumni Building at Seoul Station.
Hungnam, The Winter of 1950 Exhibit
The Museum of Contemporary Korean History celebrated the 65th anniversary of the Heungnam Evacuation in December 2015. Letters, pictures and personal objects from the collections of Dr. Hyun Bong-hak and Col. Edward H. Forney, USMC, were featured in this educational exhibit as was an interview with Ned.
You can see all of Ned's events here.