I've thus far avoided writing about the relationship between North and South Korea because it's daunting. Very little of my position as a guest English teacher makes me qualified to offer insight into all the tragedy and confusion, though I've recently come across several stories worth sharing. The first came about last week in a conversation with one of my co-workers. I rarely hear any of them discuss North Korea, but when they do, it's brief and their sentiments seem hazy: Yes, it's bad there. Oh well, we can't do much.
Seongsu, one of the most popular teachers in the school and the one with whom I share a classroom, relayed his connection to the North in a ridiculous exchange last week:
Seongsu, one of the most popular teachers in the school and the one with whom I share a classroom, relayed his connection to the North in a ridiculous exchange last week:
B What?
S: Not the president, the job.
B:Seongsu, you want the job?
S: (clearly joking) Yes!
(Conversation leads to the horrors of living there.)
B:I wonder about the families that were separated.
S: My Grandfather was from North Korea. He was very wealthy, so he could leave. He owned a cinema.
B:What year did he move south?
S: I think 1960.
B: Your life could have been so different!
S: Yes, I could be in the military now. But maybe it would not be so different. My life is terrible now!
B:Your life now is as terrible as life in North Korea?!
S: (laughing) Yes.
He's kidding, of course. Studying for additional English certification exams has prompted his extended one-man pity party celebration. Hearing about his grandfather's move, however, drove me to find more clear stories about families who lost touch after the countries separated. Seongsu stated that he felt hardly any connection to North Korea at all, and knew nothing more of his family's situation. As one internet source I discovered noted, this kind of total separation could be the reality for nearly all of Korea within the next 5 to 10 years.
The 2012 documentary, "Divided Families", details the situation, and the following passage from a radio interview about it summarizes the situation well:
"The Korean War in 1950 left more than 10 million people separated from their families in Korea. Over the years, the South Korean government has taken a very active and supportive role in helping to reunite families forcefully torn apart by the devastating war. Since a landmark summit between the two Koreas in 2000, cross-border family reunions have been held on-and-off for more than a dozen times, connecting approximately 21,700 separated family members. But with tensions still high between the two Koreas, the talks for further reunions have been put on hold for the time being.
"The tragic story of separated families is not one that is limited to Korea, as many Koreans living in Korean diasporic communities around the world are known to be searching for their immediate family members in North Korea. A U.S. government report released in 2009 estimates that at least 100,000 Korean Americans living in the U.S. have family members in North Korea. My guest this week, Jieun Baek, has produced a documentary film titled “Divided Families,” which chronicles the stories of separated Korean American families.
"During our conversation, we’ll talk about how the film has contributed to raising the awareness of the needs and challenges surrounding the divided families issue in the U.S."
(To watch the video of this interview, go to:
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/program/program_seoulreport_detail.htm?No=4118 )
Below I've included two video clips from the limited series of family reunions that took place in 2009. The first video provides excellent historical context, while the second shows heart-wrenching moments from the reunions. Both are intensely painful to watch, for the unfathomable reason that North Korean leadership insists on the misery of its people.
He's kidding, of course. Studying for additional English certification exams has prompted his extended one-man pity party celebration. Hearing about his grandfather's move, however, drove me to find more clear stories about families who lost touch after the countries separated. Seongsu stated that he felt hardly any connection to North Korea at all, and knew nothing more of his family's situation. As one internet source I discovered noted, this kind of total separation could be the reality for nearly all of Korea within the next 5 to 10 years.
The 2012 documentary, "Divided Families", details the situation, and the following passage from a radio interview about it summarizes the situation well:
"The Korean War in 1950 left more than 10 million people separated from their families in Korea. Over the years, the South Korean government has taken a very active and supportive role in helping to reunite families forcefully torn apart by the devastating war. Since a landmark summit between the two Koreas in 2000, cross-border family reunions have been held on-and-off for more than a dozen times, connecting approximately 21,700 separated family members. But with tensions still high between the two Koreas, the talks for further reunions have been put on hold for the time being.
"The tragic story of separated families is not one that is limited to Korea, as many Koreans living in Korean diasporic communities around the world are known to be searching for their immediate family members in North Korea. A U.S. government report released in 2009 estimates that at least 100,000 Korean Americans living in the U.S. have family members in North Korea. My guest this week, Jieun Baek, has produced a documentary film titled “Divided Families,” which chronicles the stories of separated Korean American families.
"During our conversation, we’ll talk about how the film has contributed to raising the awareness of the needs and challenges surrounding the divided families issue in the U.S."
(To watch the video of this interview, go to:
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/program/program_seoulreport_detail.htm?No=4118 )
Below I've included two video clips from the limited series of family reunions that took place in 2009. The first video provides excellent historical context, while the second shows heart-wrenching moments from the reunions. Both are intensely painful to watch, for the unfathomable reason that North Korean leadership insists on the misery of its people.
"Korea's Separated Families"
Source: Arirang Today
"Divided Korean Families"
Source: Voice of America
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While I was frolicking with strangely domesticated deer in Japan for my summer vacation, two of my close friends visited North Korea. Their stories go beyond my ability to relay to you. Thankfully, my friend, Paula, wrote a summary of her experience here: http://poulakell.tumblr.com/. Paula and Ciara also returned, generously, with a bottle of North Korean soju to share. It tasted uncomfortably similar to the smell of moth balls.
To conclude with one further example of the insanity, the following photos document a few of the scenes Paula captured during the Arirang Mass Games (note: 'Airirang' is a Korean folk song and, unofficially, the national anthem). As Paula notes in her facebook photo captions, "This is the 20,000 children turning over different coloured cards simultaneously to create different images. In total, around 150,000 participants of the Arirang Mass games... far exceeds the number of spectators."
