More than 26,000 men and women volunteered to serve with the Canadian Armed Forces in the Far East in the early 1950s. These veterans have been entitled to wear the Canadian Korea Medal and/or the United Nations Service Medal for Korea since the end of the conflict in 1953. The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea was subsequently created on July 12, 1991.
Eligibility: The Medal is awarded to former members of the Canadian Armed Forces who volunteered and served in Korea and the adjacent areas from June 27, 1950, to July 27, 1954.
Description: The medal is a circular medal of copper and zinc alloy,
On the obverse the crowned effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II appears, circumscribed with the legend ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA, and incorporates the word CANADA at the bottom; and
On the reverse the inscription KOREA VOLUNTEER 1950-1954 VOLONTAIRE CORÉE is centred within a laurel wreath, with a maple leaf centred at the bottom.
The medal is worn suspended from a yellow ribbon that is 32 mm wide, bordered on each exterior edge with a United Nations blue stripe 7 mm wide, with a central red stripe 6 mm wide on which is centred a 2 mm-wide white stripe.
The ribbon comprises seven bands: United Nations blue, yellow, red, white, red, yellow, and United Nations blue.