The Korean war hero, General Paik Sun-yup June 23 2019 Sunshine Lee's Culture Essay Written in Poetry The Korean War Hero, General Paik Sun Yup I’m so glad General Paik Sun Yup, the Korean war hero, is still alive at the age of 100.
General Paik said that I could visit him every day and I visited him from time to time. Whenever June 25 approaches, I always almost automatically head for his office in the War Memorial of Korea located in Yongsan.
I do this because I have heard many times that on June 25 of the year the North Korea invaded the South Korea, Paik Sun Yup became a general in his twenties and stood in the vanguard at the battle of Dabudong. He heroically advanced to Pyeongyang, walking day and night.
I inherited my father’s DNA – I miss my father who’s been gone and I feel sad that his acquaintances and classmates were all gone with the passing of former President Choi Kyuha, the last of the bunch. Then one day, Dr. Jung Il Hwa whose office was at the War Memorial of Korea took me to meet General Paik saying that he went to Pyongyang Teacher's College, the same school from which my father graduated.
I was somewhat worried what I was going to say if he didn’t know my father due to my father’s lack of war experiences or their having not been classmates.
The general was two years junior my father. He made me comfortable and kindly told me about my father in detail – I was overwhelmed with longing for my father. His memory was truly remarkable.
He talked about Pyongyang Teacher's College, and he also knew about my father’s life after his graduation even though the two of them went separate ways after the school.
Then, without being prodded, he complimented my father, “Your father showed remarkable talent in many respects in Pyongyang, he distinguished himself through education and teaching in Manchuria, and public service and business in Seoul.” It didn’t seem like he was just saying that to please me. Listening to the 100 year old anecdotes from a living person, I was engrossed in memories of my beloved father.
But General Paik seemed a little frustrated this time around. He didn’t say so but maybe because of the recent event of Kim Won-bong, or maybe because some people frequently attack him, he seemed to be feeling gloomy. That’s what I felt. It’s useless interacting with people who fault others for being born during the Japanese colonial era and working for the Japanese empire. Yet, looking back at the life he led and the battles he fought – such people would make him gloomy.
“I devoted my life to protecting people and our country.” I nodded.
In his office, there is a picture of him and general MacArthur and a picture of Harris, the U.S. Ambassador to Korea, kneeling and showing respect for General Paik are hung. We walk out of the office and move to Dragon Hill Lodge restaurant in Yongsan.
He tells me again, “Dr. Lee Yoonmo, brilliant even among other brilliant minds, married another brilliant mind and gave birth to you, the fruit of their love. Both good things and bad things would have happened to you. Yet, you will be rewarded by God. Or not. But that’s life. That’s life.” He would have said this same thing looking back at his own life of 100 years. I appreciated him for giving me comforting words like my father would have given, yet at the same time they stung.
I asked “The South Korea-US alliance should be strong, right?”
He answered, “My 70 years of experience tells me that that is the only way. Thanks to the U.S., not only security but a global trade economy with the world as the stage was possible.”
“And we should be close to Japan, too?”
“We should not be too close with nor too distant from Japan,” he answered and talked about Japanese history at length. Japan’s military was once as strong as that of Germany’s and their navy was stronger than the U.K.’s. Japan would be doing better now had they not attacked the U.S., he said. Now Japan will team up with the U.S. and reign Asia and the Pacific Ocean going forward.
“What about China?”
“China is too big. It would be hard for us to keep up with them forever.”
The general is familiar with all the war experiences and military action and strategy, and keeps saying that he is sorry that his knowledge is not being made use of for the security and national defense of Korea. Whenever I talk to him, I am reminded that his brain, memory, heart, willpower and patriotism are indifferent to his old age.
“I’m sorry to treat you, the daughter of my respected senior, so simply.” One day, eating a steak in Dragon Hill Lodge restaurant was envied by people, yet he is modest as always and shows his humanistic side by worrying if I went through hardships in the past.
He knew my beloved father very well, and without him, Korea would not be what it is today. I hold his hands and am moved that I am listening to this hero’s voice in person.
“Come again.”
I become more modest and more patriotic everytime I meet him.
I go forward climbing up the dead bodies of people who perished while sitting inside the air raid shelter 6.25 Korean War poem of Son Hoyun The Korea War hero of 100 years old - War Memorial in Yongsan Seoul 6 2019
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