South Korea's ambassador to Australia has told Australian veterans of the Korean War that South Koreans will never forget their service and sacrifice.

About 100 Korean War veterans gathered in Canberra today for a ceremony marking 60 years since the signing of the armistice that brought a halt to hostilities on the Korean Peninsula.

A total of 340 Australians were killed in the Korean War, which lasted from 1950 until July 27, 1953.

Some 18,000 Australians served as part of a United Nations force.

Brigadier Colin Kahn (ret'd) was wounded in the chest while serving in Korea in the winter of 1952.

He said for many Korea veterans their most vivid memories are of the cold.

"Your hands would stick to the metal of the guns," he said.

"The ground would freeze and you'd sometimes have to blast holes with explosives to dig a trench."

The Korean War has been referred to as 'the forgotten war' because it failed to garner as much attention as the World War II, which had only just ended, and the controversial Vietnam War that followed it.

But Brigadier Kahn said the big turnout of veterans, their descendants and dignitaries from many nations at the Canberra service showed the service of Australian troops in Korea was remembered and respected.

Sorry, this video has expired Canberra remembers Korea's fallen ( ABC News )

"It's certainly not forgotten in our eyes," he said.

"We re-live more vividly now than perhaps we ever have."

The 60th anniversary of the end of active fighting in the Korean War has also been marked in North and South Korea.

In the South, a ceremony was held at the Korean War Memorial in Seoul.

Meanwhile in the North, where the anniversary is known as Victory Day, a military parade was presided over by leader Kim Jong-Un.