Looking north from the steps of South Korea’s Freedon House in the DMZ Zone to North Korea’s Panmun-gak. In the center are seen the Conference Buildings where the Armistice was agreed to.
By Jerry Bernstein
“This year marks the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. Nearly 1.8 million American men and women in uniform fought for the freedom of a country that they never knew and to protect the lives of a people they never met. Their outstanding courage and selfless sacrifice allowed us to defend our freedom, attain peace, and become a democratic, free and open society.”
Lee Myung-Bak
President of the Republic of Korea
On June 21 thirty-nine Korean War veterans from Cerritos and surrounding communities and members of their families boarded an Asian Airline 747 for a visit to the Republic of Korea [ROK] in observance of the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War. Not
only did they fight the North Koreans (who invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950) but later the Chinese who rescued the Northern Koreans from defeat and in retrospect aborted the unification of the country,
Many of those abroad were taken prisoner by the North Koreans in the ensuing fighting that followed the invasion, some for three long years.
The flight took approximately 13 hours, landing at the Incheon International Airport outside of the ROK capital of Seoul at 6:10 p.m. Korean time. As we entered the terminal we were surprised by a welcoming reception from the Sae Eden Presbyterian Church, sponsor of the trip, with welcoming signs that read “Thank you for defending our country.” Everyone was presented with flower wreaths. In addition a crew of Korean photographers took the first of many photos. We arrived at the Marriott Hotel in Seoul at 8:30 p.m. where we were treated to a banquet and which was to be our home for the next six days.
Wake up call for us was 6 a.m. We were told we should finish our breakfast by 8 a.m. and be ready to board our buses by 9 a.m. We all agreed the accommodations afforded us at the hotel were excellent. No complaints.
The first morning included a visit to the National Cemetery where we were to lay a memorial wreath for the unknown soldiers who fought in the war. We were greeted by the Republic of Korea honor guard, which included members of the Navy, Army, Marines and Air Force. This was followed by a visit to the Korea War Memorial Museum. The Memorial Tower is dedicated to those who sacrificed their lives for the country. Inside are memorial plaques of the American soldiers who died in the war the remains of 7,000 unknown soldiers.
From there we visited the North Seoul Tower where we had lunch. The tower was opened to the public on Oct. 15, 1980 and is a major tourist attraction with a beautiful view overlooking the city. Most of the veterans were in their early 20’s during the war. The tower was built on a hill half a mile from where the bus dropped us off. We made it up the hill after much, huffing and puffing. It was worth the climb.
Following lunch we visited Samsung Electronics Factory and Museum located in a four square mile compound. Approximately 160,000 persons are employed here. It can best be described as a “city within a city,” with grounds that include parks and recreation facilities, theaters and much more where the employees can relax and refresh themselves. We were given a tour of the facility where we saw all the previous and new products they manufacture including phones, cameras, TVs and refrigerators.
Prime Minister Dinner
This was later followed by a dinner hosted by the South Korean Prime Minster. We were presented with Medals of Honor by the Prime Minister and honored by Brigadier General Sung. The American Ambassador Katherine Stephens also gave a speech.
Thursday we visited the Army 2nd Operation Command in Daegu where we were honored to a parade by the Korean Army which normally is reserved for heads of state. We also watched a demonstration of hand-to-hand combat. We were presented a banner placed over our shoulders that read, “We will always remember your sacrifice and dedication.”
During lunch a Prisoner of War Banner was presented to the Commanding officer in Daegu.
That evening we visited the Sae Eden Church. Greeting us were children on the front steps singing Glory Hallelujah and God Bless America. Upon entering the church, we received a huge ovation. Following dinner we attended a Commemorative service. Pastor So Kang Suk said he was grateful to us for saving their country. He felt he and his country have only done a small part to thank us. As we left the church we were cheered again
On our fourth day, June 25, we attended a 60th Anniversary Ceremony of the Korean War with a Prayer Service for Peace at Seoul’s Olympic Stadium. Seoul hosted the 1988 Olympics. The main speaker was Korea President Lee Myung-Bak who praised us and thanked us for our service to his country. He said we would be comrades forever. Following the ceremony we had lunch at the Olympic Parktel where we were afforded another view of the city. We then split up into two teams. Team One headed for the DMZ [Demilitarized Zone] and Team Two visited the Kyonbgbok Palace built in 1395. The premises were destroyed by fire at the time of Japan’s occupation of Korea during 1592-98. However, all if its 7,700 rooms were later restored under the leadership of Heungseondaewongun in the years of King Gojong [1852-1919].
Demilitarized Zone
The DMZ is located in the Panmunjeom in the demilitarized zone. The zone is 2.5 miles wide and is one of the most heavily fortified boundaries in the world. It is 50 km north of Seoul and 10 km east of the city of Gaeseong. The area is mostly known for the peace talks that were held here on Oct. 25, 1951 and was designated as the joint Security Area on July 27, 1953 when the armistice agreement was signed. Panmunjeom is now the site where North Koreans and South Koreans can come in contact on a daily basis and make efforts toward peace in Korea.
Under the Armistice each side agreed to move back, creating a buffer zone. Signing the agreement were the 21 nations who came to the aid of South Korea and fought for their freedom. They are Australia, Belgium, Canada, Columbia, Ethiopia, Denmark,
France, Greece, Netherlands, India, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.
The DMZ compound is divided into three areas. On the south end is the South Korean headquarters. On the north side is the North Korean’s headquarters. In the middle are several one-storied wooden buildings where they meet to confer. When we looked across the compounds from the steps leading into the South Korean building we could see North Koreans looking at us through binoculars. We were told not to point at them, for they would just as soon shoot us as not.
Later during an orientation, we were told American and South Korean forces had discovered three tunnels from North Korea running south into South Korea large enough for tanks to go through them. We were also informed over the years other tunnels had been discovered.
Following a brief rest stop and visit to a souvenir shop on the site, we boarded the busses to head back to Seoul and a dinner hosted by the Kyonggi Governor.
Our last full day included a visit to the Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery where floral tributes were presented to those missionaries who came to Korea over the years to Christianity and help build schools.
Following lunch we were driven to Itaewon Street, described as the most popular shopping district for foreigners visiting and living in Seoul. The women were pleased for now they could go shopping for Korean souvenirs. From there we were driven back to the capital where we were given a farewell dinner hosted by the Sae Eden Church.
The next morning we said farewell to Seoul and boarded the busses to the Incheon Airport with a stop at the Incheon Free Economic Zone where we had lunch on the 21st floor of a high rise office building, part of a new “global” city being born on reclaimed land.
Sixty years following the war that left behind a country in rubble and its capital in ruins, South Korea has lifted itself up by its bootstraps and rebuilt the country. Many of the veterans couldn’t believe what they were viewing from the buses. Freeways similar to what we have in the United States, Streets that looked like they belong in America, and high rises reaching up into the sky. They also marveled at the trees and green areas not only in the city but also in the countryside. Today South Korea is a nation that looks forward to the future. One host commented, we emulated America while keeping our traditions and history.
Throughout our visit we were greeted by an overwhelming feeling of friendship. People would stop us and thank us for saving their country. Unlike in the United States, here the Korea War is not “A Forgotten War.”
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