Seoul Searching

I heart Seoul. It really is such a tremendous city, and I think if I lived there, I would actually want to stay in Korea...maybe not forever, but for at least my year +! And it helps fill multiple blog pages, so let's begin with some culture.

This weekend was spent mostly shopping and slogging through the rain, but we were able to hit one museum - the Korean War Memorial, which stands just outside of Yongsan Garrison. As luck would have it, Cadena and I just happened to visit the museum on 25 June - the 51st anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War. The museum itself is an immense place, very concrete and metal, but it has a haunting beauty to it. The exhibits helped us understand what 51 years of civil war/unrest have done to the landscape, the people, and the general philosophy of the nation. And getting to play inside weapons wasn't too shabby, either!

Planes, boats, helicopters way in back, and weapons as far as the eye can see

Taking this picture, I was saddened at the idea of kids playing on weapons but also happy at the fact the kids were girls who weren't afraid to get in there...yeesh!

gas masks are always creepy to me

I can appreciate the size of these things until I'm up close and personal

The entrance statues were really moving

I believe this to mean "Don't Climb" but am also happy if it means "Don't raise the guns."

Perhaps most interesting was the news reporter we encountered at the entrance, filming a piece in English. She mentioned that tensions on the peninsula have not been this high since the start of the War, which was surprising to both of us since we're relatively sheltered from all news about the growing threat.

It is incredible to think this nation is still at war, and has been for over 50 years. There are often talks about reunification, but considering the state of the two nations, I don't think that will happen any time soon. While it is a bit scary to think about aggression from the North, it is also comforting to see South Koreans memorializing their struggle and pushing to free the people of the North. With time, patience and hard work...and some help from larger influences...they may just see it come true.

And then again, maybe not. See here for the North Korean viewpoint on why reunification cannot occur now.

Viewpoint on a scud