The Korean War Veterans Memorial honors those who served in the Korean conflict, 1950-1953. It includes all branches of the armed forces and the support groups, as well as acknowledging the contributions of all 22 nations that sent personnel and supplies in support of the United Nations action.

The Memorial is designed as a circle intersected by a triangle. It features 19 stainless steel figures of military personnel, clad in battle dress uniform, advancing toward the American flag. At the point of the triangle of statues is the Pool of Remembrance and low granite curbs listing the number of dead, wounded, captured, and missing from the American and international forces. The triangle of land intersecting the circle of water symbolizes a peninsula. Engraved on a wall at the circle is the statement "Freedom Is Not Free."

The design for the memorial originally included 38 statues, symbolizing the 38th Parallel separating North Korea from South Korea. Space and financial difficulties reduced the number of statues to nineteen, which are reflected in a highly polished black granite wall. The nineteen reflected images added to the statues give the number 38.