The Korean War

After liberation from Japan, one people became two countries with different ideologies.

On June 26, 1950, one ethnic war broke out. 

It became a global war with many countries including the United States, the Soviet Union, and China participating.


Early on Sunday, June 25, 1950, the North Korean army crossed the 38th parallel and invaded the South.

The South Korean army continued to retreat in the sudden attack.

Four days after the war began, Seoul was taken away and the entire area except Gyeongsang Province was occupied by the North Korean military in just two months.

President.Lee called the United Nations for help.

General MacArthur made his landing in Incheon, crossed the 38th parallel, and continued to head north.

When China joined the war, Korea was deprived of Seoul.

So China and North Korea, the UN and the Republic of Korea continued to fight.

And the truce talks began in a bid to prevent further sacrifices.

The three-year war ended on July 27, 1953.

Millions of people were killed in the Korean War and all the facilities of the two Koreas, such as factories, railroads, and roads, were destroyed, becoming like the Paleolithic Age.

A peace agreement is needed to ensure that the war will no longer exist in South Korea. We must end the war.

Peaceful unification in Korea will achieve world peace 

And here is the beginning of peace.

A peace international law is needed for peace to occur and They must travel around the world and make peace agreements. 

Here is the messenger of peace. 

http://www.hwpl.kr/

 Here is the key to peace.

Panmunjom

     You probably must have heard about Panmunjom. It is a place where Korean Armistice Agreement was signed, and it is considered one of the last vestiges of the Cold War. Now it is an abandoned village on the border between North and South Korea. It runs through the middle of the Demilitarized Zone. Panmunjom is still used for discussion between North and South or the United Nations Command. By North Korea, it has been renamed as the Peace Museum.

     Some of you might be confused with JSA (Joint Security Area) and Panmunjom. Actually, Panmunjom is the metonym of JSA. JSA is where South and North Korean forces stand face-to-face. 

     As we look back in the history, during Korean War, nations forces met North Korean and Chinese forces at Panmunjom for truce talks. The discussion was held for several months. The main point of the discussion was about the prisoners of war. They allowed the prisoners who refused to return to their countries to live under a neutral supervising commission for three months. At the end of this time, those who still refused repatriation would be released. Among those who refused repatriation were 22 Amercian and British POWs. 

     Truce doesn't mean it's end of the war. I would say Panmunjom is a tragic place where it divided Korea to half. When will South Koreans face North Koreans in face to face? When will the split families could get together? 

Reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panmunjom#Location

Photo Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Security_Area

DMZ

 The 38th parallel was created after the end of the Second World War when the U.S. and the Soviet Union divided the Korean Peninsula for their military stationing each in South and North Korea. Later, with the conclusion of an armistice formally ending the Korean War, this military line was transformed and hardened into today's Demilitarized Zone(DMZ).

 DMZ means many thing to us. It remind us of painful memory of Korean war which was unforgettable fratricidal tragedy making us solemnly. And it is ecologically important. Priceless resources are being preserved, and rare animals such as Nemorhaedus goral raddeanus(kind of sheep) live in there. So DMZ is like a big natural ecological park

 Many people think that Korean war was over. But it is not termination but ceasefire. There is still peril of recurrence. So we should achieve peace as soon as possible. It is for world peace and also for separated families. I hope that all people think of DMZ as a symbol of restoration of peace and a priceless heritage.

Reference : http://www.korea-dmz.com/en/s/scm_main_en.asp

War veterans whom shall be remembered for eternity

     Today is a Korean Memorial Day (Koreans simply call this day, “625”). And for the commemorating this day, I want to share a short poem with you. The poem is etched in stone at a Korean War Veteran’s Memorial in the Liberty State Park, New Jersey. 

We didn’t do much talking,

We didn’t raise a fuss.

But Korea really happened

So please - remember us.

We all just did our duty

But we didn’t win or lose.

A victory was denied us

But we didn’t get to choose.

We all roasted in the summer

In winter, we damn near froze.

Walking back from near the Yalu

With our blackened frozen toes.

Like the surf the Chinese kept coming

With their bugles in the night.

We fired into their masses

Praying for the morning light.

All of us just had to be there

And so many of us died.

But now we’re all but half forgotten

No one remembers how we tried.

We grow fewer with the years now

And we still don’t raise a fuss.

But Korea really happened

So please - remember us.

                  -written by. Roberto J. Prinselaar

     I learned that during Korean War, over 1,000,000 soldiers from 21 UN countries including Australia were involved in the war. I didn’t know so many countries were involved in this war! Not only the Korean War veterans but we also need to remember and be grateful to the soldiers who sacrificed to protect the nations. 

     Chairman Man-Hee Lee was also a Korean War veteran, and to borrow his words, “Why is young life thrown away without having had a chance to bloom because of war?” It was not their will to fight but the politicians’. Then why not politicians fight but send the young men to fight for them? The war should be never exists in this universe, even the word! We should be the ones who have to bring peace to the future generation and remember those who died in the battle fields. 

Reference: http://generalmacarthurshonorguard.com/Korean_War_Poem.php

A Korean War veteran, Man-Hee Lee

     Korea was a nation where is divided by South and North after the independence in 1945. The North got a military support from the Soviet Union and reinforced the military. On July 25^th 1950, the North Korean army ambushed South Korea. It was a tragic fratricidal war for Koreans. The situation was totally unfavorable for South Korea, but the UN supported South Korea and sent armies. 16 countries including US sent the army. South Korea had a narrow escape and got back some of the region of the Amnok river. However, the war continued for over 3 years. In this war, many young people even students attended as soldiers and sacrificed. Chairman Lee was also a Korean War veteran. He was at the front line of the battle and experienced the bitterness of war, so he made himself a promise to end all the war in the world and stop the sacrifice of young men; and became a peace activist. He erected a memorial stone of declaration of Korea unification at the Unification Observatory and in Imjingak. Every year, he celebrated the Memorial Day in June 25^th and prays for the repose of the soul of the victims. He is a true patriot and a peace lover. He never stops peace activity and service to the nation.

<The memorial stone of the Declaration of Korea Unification>

How I feel about FAMILY REUNION between North and South Korea.

Reunions were held for families separated after the Korean War on Feb. Until the moment they met, they couldn’t believe it’s for real. So did I. This event has cancelled for many reasons. How was like families minds whenever it was cancelled?

At first, South and North Korea used same flag.

How long have families separated?

Almost of them were over 80 years old. Most of them barely recognized their family because of their presbyopia. As soon as they met each other, they just started to keep crying while asking their safety. It’s been about 60 YEARS since they separated. That’s totally nonsense!

One of them, old man said, “Why should we put up with this pain in whole life? Watching reunions was completely torture itself.

Waiting list

But what broke my heart was they are just lucky. We have still majority of those who waiting their reunions. My grandfather also passed away waiting his turn (never made it though). Waiting list is estimated that there are about 72,000 South Koreans - nearly half of them aged over 80.

Promised to meet again in the day when North and South reunite.     

At the last of 3days, the moment they should say good-bye, promised to meet again when North and South Korea reunite. This word made them cry again. Because they can’t expect when is the day.

If we really care about this situation, maybe the day will be soon. right?:p