North Korea
Many people have asked me about the sentiments of the Korean people towards their Northern neighbours. I have tried my best to make sense of it for those who have asked. Korean society is a reflection of their families. In a restaurant, the middle-aged man serving you is not a waiter, but ajossi. The woman, adjimma. These terms are equivalent to uncle and aunt in English. Min-Su (16) used to tell me that he wouldn't lock up his bike because it was an insult to the Korean people- an implication that he believed someone would steal his bike. It revealed a distrust towards others- a distrust that is necessary in Western countries to keep you from being robbed blind. In any case, I often use this as a metaphor to explain the relationship between North and South. Though they may be divided, they are still Korean- part of the same family, sharing the same history, culture and language. Older people probably have very different views on the situation than their children. It is hard to believe that the country was devastated just over fifty years ago. The growth is a testament to the work ethic of the Korean people (or insanity, as I came to call it). Nowadays, it seems that young people worry more about the impact the instability on the peninsula could have on the strength of the Korean economy. In any case, my point was this- I stumbled on this account of an American-Korean woman who had the chance to meet her Uncle and his family in Pyongyang. Those who have spent time in Korea will be hit hard by this I suspect, it gave me chills. Check out Ann Kim's photos of North Korea as well.
South Koreans banging the reunification drum in Paju, South Korea
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