In Korea, peace is a topic that is not often discussed. However, the precarious situation between the North and South seems to continually reside on the periphery of everyday life. In the 8 months I have lived in Korea (study abroad + fulbright) I have never felt like I lived in a war zone except when visiting the DMZ. It is actually pretty strange to be reminded of the fact that I live in a country engaged in an ongoing war. I'm sure not everyone in South Korea feels this way, but as a foreigner I am often oblivious to or encouraged not to attend (i.e. protests and rallies) events that could potentially deepen my understanding of the conflict. I was informed of an event going on in Jeju city sponsored by a non-profit called Global Peace Initiative as part of (affiliated with) the UN World Peace day that was both a safe and educational experience.While it mainly focused on Jeju and their unique peace struggle, there was also mention of North Korea as well as other conflicts around the globe such as Gaza. Overall, I really enjoyed the 5 mile walk/hike and all the information presented. It was very tranquil, walking with a few hundred others who were also committed to the goal of peace. I was really excited to see my first authentic dol hareubang or "grandfather statue". They are all over the island but I think the majority are replicas- the one in my picture is the real thing! I also got a bit of reminiscing in as I walked by the statues my mom and I saw when we visited Jeju two years ago. The other thing I was really glad I got a chance to see was a village that had been abandoned following jeju's 4.3 massacre. During a period in 1949/1950 over 30,000 Jeju residents died in a massacre having to do with communist ties. This massacre has only recently started to be discussed and memorialized so seeing this village was a glimpse into the complex emotions and memorials of such places. This village had a sign commemorating what it had once looked like and many of the fences between properties were still standing. I hope I have the opportunity to look into the memorialization and research the events more in depth.
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Author안녕! I'm Emmy and this is my blog detailing my life in Korea with Fulbright mainly through pictures. Feel free to contact me on my about page. TTFN Archives
June 2016
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