I knew that the weather in Korea was going to be an adjustment from that of Vietnam. I actually looked forward to not profusely sweating around midday. What I didn’t process was that 1 degree Celsius is pretty dang cold. So my first two days in Korea have been orderly and clean, but oh so cold.
Unfortunately, I underestimated the amount of time necessary to get into the city from the airport and wasn’t able to meet my Couchsurfing host until 12:20 am. He was very kind and picked me up at the metro, so I didn’t have to wander in the cold looking for his apartment. It is a very nice modern apartment with heated floors. As always, Couchsurfing has brought another wonderful local into my life. Yongho is a teacher of Korean Literature. He is a very busy man, but is an excellent host. Above my bed he has posted a list of tourist attractions and information about them for all his guests.
Updating you on my first two days will be easy because I basically did the same thing two days in a row. On Day one I realized a chiropractor trip was necessary. I hit my head twice while in Vietnam and had to sit on an uneven seat for a four hour bus ride, both of which caused my vertebrae to go out of place. Having hit my pain threshold, I went out in search of a Korean chiropractor. Luckily, the first doctor I visited was a perfect fit for me. Dr. James Lee studied in the US for ten years and is a hilariously sarcastic man, whom I plan to see five times during my stay in Seoul. It seems like a lot of visits, but he is going to run me through some basic physical therapy. When I first walked in the office, all I heard were loud grunts of pain. My initial reaction was one of embarrassment for the person being adjusted. It wasn’t until I was up that I realized it was the doctor himself grunting, sputtering, and exasperatedly swearing at himself. When I asked him to adjust my ankle he huffed, “You talk too much Lady! If you stayed in Korea, you would be the death of me!” He also told me that he lived in my “shitty country” in the 80s and that he would appreciate me introducing him to Oprah Winfrey. Besides being an entertaining fellow, he is an excellent chiropractor and I hope to learn as much from him as I can in the coming week.
After my appointment I gorged on bibimbap. I really enjoyed the traditional experience of sitting on a heated floor next to a low table. Bibimbap is served in a hot clay bowl that keeps the dish hot. It is a mix of rice, seaweed, kimchi, veggies, and one raw egg. Most people usually add spicy hot sauce to the mix.
With a full belly and my hat pulled low I walked to the War Memorial Museum of Korea. The first exhibit I visited was on the South Korean Army’s (ROK) role in the Vietnam War. It was humorous to hear that history told from the opposite perspective from the one I have read about for the past month. Unfortunately, the propaganda was just as strong. Apparently, the South Korean troops returned home victorious because the small region they were in charge of was contained and educated on the evils of communism. Just check out some of the signs above… It was odd.
I was feeling very disappointed in the museum before reaching the first of three exhibits on the Korean War. My opinion of the museum instantly flipped. The money and time put into this place is beyond impressive. So much so, I spent two days at the same museum! Not only is it excellent, it is free!
The museum clearly explains the events leading up to the war. In 1910 Japan took over the Korean Peninsula. This was a dark period for Korea. Japan did a lot of damage to Korean cultural sites and in many ways mistreated the Koreans. Understanding this conflict helps one to have a better understanding of current Asian politics. With the end of WWII in 1945, Japan’s imperialistic holdings were liberated. Korea was very poor at that time and not in a position to build a united government on its own. The US and the Soviet Union stepped in. They divided the country along the 38th parallel. The United States oversaw the South and the Soviet Union oversaw the north. The UN suggested that a single united Korean government be established through a democratic vote in January 1948. The Soviet Union would not allow the UN Temporary Commission to go into North Korea. Thus the UN recognized and US backed Republic of Korea was formed through national elections on May 10th, 1948. The Soviet Union assisted in the creation of a communistic regime, the ironically titled Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on September 9th, 1948. The two parties were too ideologically different and their differences mirrored the growing global tension between east and west, communism and democracy.
North Korea’s leader, Kim Il-Sung, went to both Stalin and Mao Tse-tung with hopes that his communist comrades in the Soviet Union and China would aid him in an attack on South Korea. At first Stalin was hesitant and didn’t want to go into direct conflict with the US. Several things quickly changed though. The Soviet Union developed its own atomic bomb and China became a communist country. He told Kim Il-Sung to get Mao’s pledged to be involved before attacking the South. As time went on Stalin shared through several letters that he believed the US would not be interested in getting involved in another war so close to WWII. The Soviet Union gave North Korea a 40 million dollar loan and the most up to date weapons (T-34 tanks, Yak fighters, etc.) With Soviet weapons and a promise from Mao that the Chinese Army would step in if the US got involved, the North Korean People’s Army marched on South Korea on June 25th, 1950.
The South’s army was very weak at the time. The US General Douglas MacArthur, had just sent home an assessment of the South’s defense system and was extremely worried about such an imminent attack. He described the south as extremely unprepared, untrained, unequipped, and under manned. To make things worse, on June 24th the troops were allowed to take some R&R and were no longer on high alert. The NKPA rolled across the 38th parallel with ease and within three days took Seoul.
President Truman immediately requested a meeting of the United Nations. On June 26th the UN Security Council met and demanded that the North Korean troops retreat north of the 38th parallel. North Korea ignored this order and the UN labeled North Korea as an invading force. The UN then made the decision to send in troops in support of the South. General Douglas MacArthur, the commander of the U.S. Army’s Forces in the Far East, was appointed as the first UN Forces Commander. This was the first time a single country was put in charge of a militaristic UN force. The United States with a strong desire to stop the spread of communism was the first to respond. By the beginning of July US troops were on the ground. The first wave of US led UN forces were hard hit and struggled to reinforce the South’s line. After two months of heavy fighting, the ROK (Republic of Korea) forces and UN forces were pushed all the way to the southern city of Busan. With reinforcements and strong organization the UN forces were able to push the North Korean troops all the way to the 38th parallel and then to the Chinese border.
Hopes were high of reunification and an end of the war. Unfortunately, a hard winter hit and the UN forces found themselves in a barren frozen wasteland. To make things worse the Chinese Army arrived. The UN forces were eventually forced to retreat back to the 38th parallel. One of the most dramatic points of the war was the Heungnam evacuation. From December 14th to the 24th, 1950, 105,000 ROK and UN soldiers, 17,000 vehicles, large amounts of equipment, and over 100,000 North Korean refugees were evacuated to the South. The scene has been described by many there as horrific. Many families were divided and heard yelling to one another that they would meet back up at the end of the war. Little did they know that North and South would not be reunited and in most cases they would never see one another again.
The war continued until 3 years 1 month and 2 days after the original invasion with the signing of an armistice. The two countries agreed on forming a Demilitarized Zone, creating a barrier neither could cross. This strained sense of peace still stands and in essence they are still at war. They do not have open diplomatic ties and since the armistice was signed there have been many skirmishes between the two. South Koreans dream of the day when the two nations may be reunified and many families can reunite.
This war was an example of how nations can come together in the pursuit of peace and freedom. Around 60 nations either sent troops, weapons, medical supplies, and/or funding. I was surprised to see that the three countries who sent the most participants were the United States (1,789,000), UK (56,000), and Ethiopia (56,000). The United States forces suffered 33,642 causalities, 8,000 missing, and 92,134 wounded. It was a tough war which led to huge losses of human life both military and civilian. It left the Korean peninsula scared and an entire generation divided. I don’t know why this war isn’t discussed more. Not only is it still a daily part of Koreans’ lives, but it was the basis for the Vietnam War, Cold War, and many current tensions. I commend the Korean spirit and their ability to look towards the future with a positive vision of a reunified Korea.
Unfortunately, I underestimated the amount of time necessary to get into the city from the airport and wasn’t able to meet my Couchsurfing host until 12:20 am. He was very kind and picked me up at the metro, so I didn’t have to wander in the cold looking for his apartment. It is a very nice modern apartment with heated floors. As always, Couchsurfing has brought another wonderful local into my life. Yongho is a teacher of Korean Literature. He is a very busy man, but is an excellent host. Above my bed he has posted a list of tourist attractions and information about them for all his guests.
Updating you on my first two days will be easy because I basically did the same thing two days in a row. On Day one I realized a chiropractor trip was necessary. I hit my head twice while in Vietnam and had to sit on an uneven seat for a four hour bus ride, both of which caused my vertebrae to go out of place. Having hit my pain threshold, I went out in search of a Korean chiropractor. Luckily, the first doctor I visited was a perfect fit for me. Dr. James Lee studied in the US for ten years and is a hilariously sarcastic man, whom I plan to see five times during my stay in Seoul. It seems like a lot of visits, but he is going to run me through some basic physical therapy. When I first walked in the office, all I heard were loud grunts of pain. My initial reaction was one of embarrassment for the person being adjusted. It wasn’t until I was up that I realized it was the doctor himself grunting, sputtering, and exasperatedly swearing at himself. When I asked him to adjust my ankle he huffed, “You talk too much Lady! If you stayed in Korea, you would be the death of me!” He also told me that he lived in my “shitty country” in the 80s and that he would appreciate me introducing him to Oprah Winfrey. Besides being an entertaining fellow, he is an excellent chiropractor and I hope to learn as much from him as I can in the coming week.
After my appointment I gorged on bibimbap. I really enjoyed the traditional experience of sitting on a heated floor next to a low table. Bibimbap is served in a hot clay bowl that keeps the dish hot. It is a mix of rice, seaweed, kimchi, veggies, and one raw egg. Most people usually add spicy hot sauce to the mix.
With a full belly and my hat pulled low I walked to the War Memorial Museum of Korea. The first exhibit I visited was on the South Korean Army’s (ROK) role in the Vietnam War. It was humorous to hear that history told from the opposite perspective from the one I have read about for the past month. Unfortunately, the propaganda was just as strong. Apparently, the South Korean troops returned home victorious because the small region they were in charge of was contained and educated on the evils of communism. Just check out some of the signs above… It was odd.
I was feeling very disappointed in the museum before reaching the first of three exhibits on the Korean War. My opinion of the museum instantly flipped. The money and time put into this place is beyond impressive. So much so, I spent two days at the same museum! Not only is it excellent, it is free!
The museum clearly explains the events leading up to the war. In 1910 Japan took over the Korean Peninsula. This was a dark period for Korea. Japan did a lot of damage to Korean cultural sites and in many ways mistreated the Koreans. Understanding this conflict helps one to have a better understanding of current Asian politics. With the end of WWII in 1945, Japan’s imperialistic holdings were liberated. Korea was very poor at that time and not in a position to build a united government on its own. The US and the Soviet Union stepped in. They divided the country along the 38th parallel. The United States oversaw the South and the Soviet Union oversaw the north. The UN suggested that a single united Korean government be established through a democratic vote in January 1948. The Soviet Union would not allow the UN Temporary Commission to go into North Korea. Thus the UN recognized and US backed Republic of Korea was formed through national elections on May 10th, 1948. The Soviet Union assisted in the creation of a communistic regime, the ironically titled Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on September 9th, 1948. The two parties were too ideologically different and their differences mirrored the growing global tension between east and west, communism and democracy.
North Korea’s leader, Kim Il-Sung, went to both Stalin and Mao Tse-tung with hopes that his communist comrades in the Soviet Union and China would aid him in an attack on South Korea. At first Stalin was hesitant and didn’t want to go into direct conflict with the US. Several things quickly changed though. The Soviet Union developed its own atomic bomb and China became a communist country. He told Kim Il-Sung to get Mao’s pledged to be involved before attacking the South. As time went on Stalin shared through several letters that he believed the US would not be interested in getting involved in another war so close to WWII. The Soviet Union gave North Korea a 40 million dollar loan and the most up to date weapons (T-34 tanks, Yak fighters, etc.) With Soviet weapons and a promise from Mao that the Chinese Army would step in if the US got involved, the North Korean People’s Army marched on South Korea on June 25th, 1950.
The South’s army was very weak at the time. The US General Douglas MacArthur, had just sent home an assessment of the South’s defense system and was extremely worried about such an imminent attack. He described the south as extremely unprepared, untrained, unequipped, and under manned. To make things worse, on June 24th the troops were allowed to take some R&R and were no longer on high alert. The NKPA rolled across the 38th parallel with ease and within three days took Seoul.
President Truman immediately requested a meeting of the United Nations. On June 26th the UN Security Council met and demanded that the North Korean troops retreat north of the 38th parallel. North Korea ignored this order and the UN labeled North Korea as an invading force. The UN then made the decision to send in troops in support of the South. General Douglas MacArthur, the commander of the U.S. Army’s Forces in the Far East, was appointed as the first UN Forces Commander. This was the first time a single country was put in charge of a militaristic UN force. The United States with a strong desire to stop the spread of communism was the first to respond. By the beginning of July US troops were on the ground. The first wave of US led UN forces were hard hit and struggled to reinforce the South’s line. After two months of heavy fighting, the ROK (Republic of Korea) forces and UN forces were pushed all the way to the southern city of Busan. With reinforcements and strong organization the UN forces were able to push the North Korean troops all the way to the 38th parallel and then to the Chinese border.
Hopes were high of reunification and an end of the war. Unfortunately, a hard winter hit and the UN forces found themselves in a barren frozen wasteland. To make things worse the Chinese Army arrived. The UN forces were eventually forced to retreat back to the 38th parallel. One of the most dramatic points of the war was the Heungnam evacuation. From December 14th to the 24th, 1950, 105,000 ROK and UN soldiers, 17,000 vehicles, large amounts of equipment, and over 100,000 North Korean refugees were evacuated to the South. The scene has been described by many there as horrific. Many families were divided and heard yelling to one another that they would meet back up at the end of the war. Little did they know that North and South would not be reunited and in most cases they would never see one another again.
The war continued until 3 years 1 month and 2 days after the original invasion with the signing of an armistice. The two countries agreed on forming a Demilitarized Zone, creating a barrier neither could cross. This strained sense of peace still stands and in essence they are still at war. They do not have open diplomatic ties and since the armistice was signed there have been many skirmishes between the two. South Koreans dream of the day when the two nations may be reunified and many families can reunite.
This war was an example of how nations can come together in the pursuit of peace and freedom. Around 60 nations either sent troops, weapons, medical supplies, and/or funding. I was surprised to see that the three countries who sent the most participants were the United States (1,789,000), UK (56,000), and Ethiopia (56,000). The United States forces suffered 33,642 causalities, 8,000 missing, and 92,134 wounded. It was a tough war which led to huge losses of human life both military and civilian. It left the Korean peninsula scared and an entire generation divided. I don’t know why this war isn’t discussed more. Not only is it still a daily part of Koreans’ lives, but it was the basis for the Vietnam War, Cold War, and many current tensions. I commend the Korean spirit and their ability to look towards the future with a positive vision of a reunified Korea.