North Korea

Date 11/24/2010

This is an email I sent out to my family and friends because of the North Korea attack on the Island of Yanghop yesterday (November 11/23/2010).  I wanted to post this because it is a pretty good summation of what I have experienced regarding Korean Responses.

"Hello Everyone!
I wanted to send out this email just to let everyone know that all is good over here in Korea (for me, anyway).  Yesterday, North Korea shot artillery shells at a small island of the coast of South Korea.  It happened about 2.30 pm and lasted for about an hour. 


Being from America, I guess I had this natural assumption that when/if my country was attacked that we'd get guns blazing and ready to go annihilate someone.   But that is not the case over here.  At all.


The fact that I didn't even know about the attack until 6 pm is very telling.  My fellow teachers were in an intercity-volleyball tournament (only in Korea, I swear) and afterwards the teachers all went out to dinner.  We walk into the restaurant and in the main room they have the TV on.  About 6 of the 20 teachers stop and watch the television, which is calmly running a stream of pictures of the attacked island (a small island with a couple pillars of smoke).  I stay and watch, and then turn to the one teacher I was with who half-way speaks English. "What that?" I asked, pointing to TV.  He stumbles around, and eventually he draws a map of "Korea" on his left hand.  "North-u" he says, "south-u."  I nodded, enthusiastically, becuase positive reinforcement is key.  He makes a gun with his right hand and says, "Bang bang."  Which almost makes me freak out. "What?!  North Korea attacked South?"  He nods, glad that I understand him.  I asked if he knew if anyone was hurt (which, I guess is the next logical question--beside, "Should I pack my bags?"--but I refrain from ever saying these words.)  "Maybe."  The news report wasn't very detailed, I'm guessing.  And then, the strangest thing happened, the teachers, as a group, turn and head to dinner.  I'm left standing there, with the TV quietly talking about North Korean attacks (I'm assuming), while the teachers go to have some sam-gul-sal (roasted pig belly lettus wraps).  My teacher friend comes back, grabs my wrist and pats my hand. "Me-gi...no worry.  All good."  


And then I spent the next 2 hours eating some delicious food and getting a little buzzed on soju.  The teachers--for my understanding--didn't talk about anything serious (aka North Korea) for the rest of the night.  I texted a friend and she wrote back saying, "Erg.  This isn't supposed to be happening.  Know anything?" Which I didn't.  


I got home and turned on my television--for the first time, might I add.  One whole month without TV waisted on a stupid North Korea.  Anyway, of the 5 Korea News stations--4 were showing the attack.  All other programming was normal.  The two English channels I had (CNN and a PBS) were on normal programming--with CNN having one of those scrolling tickers at the bottom of the screen saying the most basic facts: North Korea attacked.  South Korea returned fire.  Lasted 1 hour.  Emergency meeting in Seoul by leaders to prevent further escalation. 


I went online--CNN was the best entry I found.  (This morning there was more on the website.)   


I actually called my co-Teacher, Ms Kim, last night around 9.30 pm.  I felt bad, but I wanted to talk to a Korean who knew what was going on.  I struck out there.  Ms Kim was shopping at Lotte Mart (An Asian Department store/mall).  She had not heard of the attacks.  This blows my mind, but the foreign teachers at her school had to inform her that her country had been hit.  She said she would look into it and talk to me in the morning.  


I talked to a couple foreign teachers over the internet last night, asking them what's going on, how come the Koreans are freaking out. etc.  Most of them just told me to calm down.  No freaking out.  This thing happens every once and a while, we just have to wait it out.  There are exchanges every day at the DMZ (the DeMilitarized Zone between North and South Korea).  The Koreas never actually signed a "peace agreement" after the war--they are at a "cease fire" agreement.  So, technically they are still "at war."  


I went to bed last night on edge.  After talking to my teacher, I made myself a cuppa (my favorite borrowed English word from the New Zealanders) of hot chocolate (Although a cuppa might only refer to tea...not sure) and watched a pirated Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.  (I'm so super jealous that HP 7 doesn't come out until Dec 16th here--I'm consoling myself with watching the others).  It got my mind off things for a little bit, and by the time it was done, I was exhausted and sleepy.  


So, its the next morning.  Things are normal like usual.  I just to Ms Kim.  She said that the reason the attack was on television last night was that North Korea is going through some regime changes.  Because of this they are trying to show that they are still big tough guys.  And the reason the attack is getting coverage is that this was the first time North Korea has attacked a non-military target.  The island was about 1/2 military and 1/2 civilian.  So, it's the fact that civilians were involved makes it news worthy.  


I've also heard that North Koreans are desperate.  They are starving, dying people.  There are supposed to be some big 6-country power talks later on this month--or early next month--about aid to the North Korean people.  And North Korea is grasping at straws to try and show that they are still a "power" and cannot be bullied into signing agreements by the other big powers of the world.  They're people are dying and the leaders are worried about international chest-puffing.  Now, those talks have been risked because some of the big powers (aka USA) may not attend if North Korea doesn't show a "sincere good-will" effort to keep/meet promises.  


Okay--the point of this email was to assure you. 


The teachers seriously do not seem afraid/worried.  They are concerned because it was a civilian attack, but I think they seriously believe that nothing will come of this.  For example, this summer North Korea (supposedly, they denied ownership) attacked a South Korean military boat/ship/big sea-faring vessel.  Killed 46 soldiers.  The situation didn't escalate after that.  


The US Embassy sent out an email (I'm on their listserve) and it was a very short message.  Barest facts, with a note not to worry/panic--Seoul leaders are taking care of the situation.  


I am 3 hours away from Seoul, in a pretty unimportant city, and there is a US military base not 45 minutes away.  If there was any trouble--I could be to safety within an hour.  


So, please, when you read about reports from CNN or big international papers, do not freak out.  I have people who would take care of me and I know how to get to safety.  


I hope that this email helped.  If you have any questions--I'll try to answer them.  But life seems to be going on like normal.  


Love you all!
Maggie"

I will continue to post information about this topic.  But the biggest thing I want to stress is that life is going on like normal.  Which is very surreal, but still normal.