And, Yet Again!!

And, yet again we were in the newspaper; except this time we are moving up in the world. This time we have been featured in The East, a business newspaper out of London, England! Apparently, one day the editor stumbled across our blog and after reading a few entries, he must have thought that there was something of note in what he saw and here we are in the July issue... a coloured double page spread!

The article is a combination of all of the blogs that I wrote on our recent trip to Jeju. If you have been following our happenings over the past few months, you may recognize the pictures above.

Mom and Dad you are famous! Who knew when I took this picture of you guys that it would end up on the desks of 10,000 plus businessmen around London? What an odd coincidental world we live in...

Innocent Tourist Murdered in North Korea

In the days after we posted our latest on the North Korean tours to Kaesong and Geumgangsan this is what hits the news:

South Korean Tourist Killed at Geumgang Mountain

In short, a South Korean tourist, doing the same Mount Geumgang tour we had done previously this year was shot and killed while taking a short walk. When she was spotted in a restricted zone she was warned not to proceed. When, out of terror, she fled she was shot twice and killed.

The North is blaming the South; the South is demanding an explanation and an apology from the North.

When we have ventured up into North Korea we have consoled ourselves with the though that the North Koreans:

1. Need our money and therefore would not harm a foreigner.
2. Don't want to jeopardize their small but lucrative tourist industry.
3. Wouldn't want to kill an alien visitor because of the negative publicity and international backlash they would receive.

Boy, were we wrong!!

Just thought that we would post this for you all to see. Take a look.

New York Times - NK blames SK in Shooting

BBC - Pyongyang Criticized Over Killing

Kaesong, North Korea

-There are no traffic lights in Kaesong City. If you're wondering about their technology... you're looking at it. Yep, that’s right, this man stands at attention all day and directs traffic.-

Arguably one of the oldest cities on the Korean peninsula, Kaesong, a closed city with so many stories to tell. With such recommendations as holding the title of capital city for over 500 years (from 910AD-1392AD), changing hands many times during the Korean War (being tossed back and forth between the two Koreas) and being the chosen place of the first talks between the North and the South in 1951, it would be crazy to pass up our opportunity to visit.

-What looks like an average village is most likely a scene created to warm the hearts of the on looking...us. Rehearsed, regimented and stiff are three words that come to mind.-

-This was the only convenient store we encountered in a city of 150,000 people. It was not open.-

Unlike our other adventures in North Korea this tour seemed to show a more realistic glimpse into the lives of urban DPRK citizens. On our previous visit to Geumgangsan (a mountainous region in the east of N.K.) we were enclosed by a 'tourist fence', a tall metal fence to keep tourists and cameras out and to ensure the citizens stay in. In Kaesong there was no such fence, only an invisible barrier that separated the Northerners from reality and the foreigners from the frightening truth.

Keep in mind that until the boarders are truly opened, we as outsiders may never know what is truly going on inside this impoverished and oppressed country. Like his father, Kim Il Sung, and his father’s mentor Stalin, Kim Jung Il is a mastermind, a true political genius. And, even when the now collapsing regime comes to an end the authorities will be rummaging through the bodies of the innocent and wrapping their minds around countless evils to make sense of the humanitarian mess we presently call North Korea.

-The only department store in the once capital city of Korea. Also, not open. We were not allowed any closer than what you see here. They claimed that it was open from 2pm-5pm on some odd day of the week. Convenient.-

-The Great Leader; Golden in all of his glory. We were not allowed to approach it as we as foreigners do not show utmost respect to Kim Jung Il; Unlike the North Korean citizens we do not see him as a god.-

Geumgangsan, the previously mentioned mountain resort on the eastern coast of North Korea was just that, a resort. This on the other hand allowed us into the once forbidden downtown of a large communist city. It allowed us to amass a small idea of the living conditions of our neighbors to the north.

As we stood on one end of the main downtown strip, we were overcome by the lonely, almost ghost like city. Four lanes across, there were no cars on the road. Only crumbling sidewalks decorated with stiff walking citizens. Their clothes looked new yet strangely old, like something you might find at the back of a thrift store. Something that had been forgotten for a decade to resurface as a DPRK costume. All of it a generation behind.

-Preschool children paraded by in a grand show for the foreigners. Notice the propaganda posters. They look like something straight out of my textbook on the Soviet Union. -

-Alicia and I trying to see downtown Kaesong from a Korean perspective.-

And, the people themselves looked lifeless and robotic. As our bus of foreigners meandered by, heading out of town, they barley glanced up from their duties and none seemed to even notice the solitary giant in the middle of their deserted downtown. Buildings were plain. No color. Nothing fancy. The color was reserved for the propaganda which was plastered here and there through out our route through town. One such poster stated, "We must destroy our prime enemy: America."

As we drove by some of the very few crumbling apartment complexes we could make out faces pressed against the torn window screens and peeking through tattered curtains. Even in the 'safety' of their apartments they dared not stare too long at us. Strangers. As I looked around for more faces, more people to connect with, I noticed that all of the balcony's and breezeways, although falling apart from natural time constraints, were very well kept. Everything was neat and tidy. Some of the windows had dull colored curtains blowing in the breeze and a few of the little balconies had, what seemed to be, little flower gardens growing in small clay pots. Perhaps, pots once used for food?

-A busy intersection far, far away from us. Notice the lack of cars. In the entirety of our four hour visit we could easily count the vehicles that we saw, on the highway and in the city, on one hand. I guess those oil embargoes are doing their job.-

-A shot down a side street. Keep in mind that what we were allowed to see was most likely the doctored-up part of town. And, with limited zoom, the camera can't tell the whole story.-

Our day was overshadowed by guards and regulations. We were constantly watched, from inside the bus and from outside. Soldiers in full attire were stationed every 100m. Eyes sharp. Guns ready. And, as I stood there I couldn't help but wonder, what must their real life be like?

-To me this photos seems to be a bit of a misrepresentation. The streets of Kaesong were barren in comparison with any other city that I have visited in any other country. This shot does not show that.-

Points of interest:

(1) We were the second group of foreigners to visit Kaesong after the gates were opened for tours late in 2007.

(2) The city is close to the Demilitarized Zone that divides North and South Korea. When Korea was partitioned at the 38th parallel after World War Two, Kaesong was on the southern side of the line (within the Republic of Korea). Thus Kaesong is (depending on perspective) either the only occupied South Korean City at the end of the 'Korean Police Action', or the only city liberated by the North Korean People's Army in the 'Great Fatherland Liberation War'. (Wikipedia)

Friends & Family

-Trev, Eddy and Cory.-

This past year we've had the chance to get to know some really fantastic people. And together, we've had some truly great times and done some truly crazy things. It's been through this past year of supporting each other and loving each other that we've grown together, laughed together, fought and even cried together. We've become family.

-Almost everyone... (L-R) Nate Crew, T+R Olson, Russ, Erik and Alicia, Cathy, Becker, Jabez, Jen and Cory, Ruda, Jungmi and Will and Eddy.-

A few weekends ago our friends, Jen, Cory and Snickers, were gracious enough to open their home to us. We headed out to their neck of the woods to spend a relaxing day celebrating friendships, old and new. We all enjoyed a great home-style BBQ with all of the trimmings of non-koreaness and after overindulging, we had a wonderful time wowing the crowds with our foreignness at Lake Park in the beautiful city of Ilsan.

-Chillin' in a pagoda. Jungmi, Ruda, Becker, me, Erik and Alicia.-

- The guys. Nate, Cory, Eddy and Trev.-

These three guys have become Trev's long lost brothers. The four of them have killed an uncountable number of afternoons this past year obliterating each other in PC Bongs (Computer Gaming Rooms), eating fatty fried chicken and generally basking in the fact that there are some men around to hang out with.

-Rockin' it out on some mini-bikes. Ruda and Will.-

Just like home... except a LOT smaller, 'dirt biking Korean style'. We all rented mini-bikes for the afternoon and finally got our revenge on South Korean for their crazy-dangerous skills behind the wheel.

We'll miss our family next year.

CANADA DAY

Happy 141st Birthday, CANADA!!

As keeping with tradition, here is a list of the top 5 things we will be most happy to return to:

1. FAMILY - nieces and nephews, holidays, precious times together.
   
   
2. NATURE - spontaneous trips to the mountains, walking on uninhabited paths along the river, basking in the blue sky, soaking in the stars at night.
   
   
3. DRIVING - no taxi drivers, being in control, convenience, freedom.
   
   
4. SPEAKING - communicating with strangers, understanding the world around us, enjoying community.
   
   
5. FOOD - home-made dinners, veggies from the garden, cheap groceries.

** Honorable Mention - embracing our Canadian heritage.
(ie. not being made fun of for saying, 'eh'.)

Canadian Trivia:

Answer these questions correctly to win our admiration and respect!

1. This animal is Canada's national emblem.
a) Beaver
b) Moose
c) Bear
d) Canadian Goose

2. What is Canada's famous rodeo called?
a) Calgary Stampede
b) Eastern National Exhibition
c) Royal Winter Fair
d) Canadian National Exhibition

3. What is the capital of the Yukon?
a) Moose Jaw
b) Yellowknife
c) Dawson City
d) Whitehorse
e) Red Deer

4. What is Canada's smallest province?
a) Vancouver Island
b) Alberta
c) Prince Edward Island
d) Nova Scotia

5. What is the capital city of Canada?
a) Toronto
b) Ottawa
c) Montreal
d) Vancouver

Good Luck.

Sexual Slavery

-Visiting with two of the remaining 7 harmoni (grandmothers).-

I was introduced to a blood chilling fact about our world the other day. It's not often that my easy life is interrupted in such a manner that makes me sit up and take notice. Let me be clear, this is NOT a blog for young readers!! The following blog is about Comfort Women. In other words, the sexual slavery forced upon thousands of women by the Japanese military beginning in 1932.

As we all know, back in WWII Japan had a huge grip on Asia. In fact at that time they had usurped control of the Korean peninsula and their military was widely spread through the continent. I've always had a vague idea that all wars are bad and that terrible things happen in war, things that are never spoken of and things that men, and nations for that matter, spend their lives trying to cover up. What I am about to relay is just one of those incidents which makes this last realization just a little stronger.

-In English:
We must not forget these things that were forced upon us.-

During WWII, the Japanese soldiers were known for raping and killing mass amounts of women and children in their occupied areas. The mass rapings were becoming so wide spread that the Japanese government had decided something had to be done about the 'situation'. What was their solution? Comfort Stations. A systematic ring of sexual slavery.

Now the Japanese officials claimed that Comfort Stations were places set up where men could go when they needed to be intimate with a woman. They believed that these stations would curb their troops rampages and lighten the rebellions of the locals. Yet, the stations were so much more than a harem and the term comfort is a blatant mockery of what happened there.

-A snapshot retrieved of four comfort women and a grinning soldier. Notice the one is pregnant; babies were aborted, poisoned or killed upon birth.-

According to research between 100,000 - 300,000 women, some as young as 10 years old, were kidnapped from nearly every nation in Asia, the majority of women coming from Korea. There were even 10 Dutch women among the count. It is recorded that some families were persuaded to sell their own daughters to the army for a small fee. The families were told that their girls would be put to work in Japan in a factory or some such arrangement. They believed that they would be better off there being clothed and fed.

According to Unit 731 soldier Yasuji Kaneko, "The women cried out, but it didn't matter to us whether the women lived or died. We were the emperor's soldiers. Whether in military brothels or in the villages, we raped without reluctance."(Wikipedia)

These women that were taken were beaten, starved, brainwashed, enslaved, maimed, many were killed, and all were forced to work in 'Comfort Stations' serving up to 40 men a day. Stabbings and beatings were seen as mercies in comparison to some of the treatment that they received. These stations were set up all over Asia, ranging from Indonesia and Thailand right up through China, Russia and down into Japan.

-A typical room in a Comfort Station.-

When the war ended, these women were dropped in the streets to fend for themselves. Forgotten about and disowned. Many just disappeared. Some not speaking the language, none with family and many so emotionally abused that they had no idea what country they were originally from. I was told that the United Nations picked of the pieces and cared for these women the best that they could but they really had little idea of where to place them and what had become of their families. Many remain in the countries were the Japanese left them.

-Each wooden tag on the wall has a name on it. If the name was showing, the woman was available. If the name was not showing she was busy, in her later stages of pregnancy or had an STD.-

In the recent past some of these women within South Korea have come forth, publicly sharing their experiences. The act of admitting what had been forced upon them was one of enormous proportions. As in many Asian countries family is the most important thing and saving face is crucial. So, according to the strong Asian culture present in Korea, the women who have admitted to being forced into this abuse have often been defaced and publicly humiliated because of the hurt it brings upon their family name. Because of their traditions and the fear of once again losing their families, the few that are still living may very well hold their secrets to the grave and never come forth.

-Every Wednesday at noon, for over 800 Wednesdays, the women who are feeling well enough head into Seoul to demonstrate at the Japanese embassy.-

And, out of a small handful of the women, about 50 altogether, who had admitted this abuse and who had banded together back in the nineties, only 7 are still living. And, it was these 7 women that I had the chance to visit. Upon arriving at their place in the country, The Sharing House, I expected anger and rage from these little old women. Anger about what had been forced upon them and rage at the Japanese government for refusing to admit to the heinous war crimes that they committed against these innocent women. Yet, what I found were not angry little old ladies but active grandmothers, working well into their 80's to bring publicity to the plight of the 'Comfort Women'. Publicity, they say, so that the world will not repeat the same mistake twice.

A list of what the harmoni or grandmothers want:

Seven simple demands

1. To admit the drafting of Japanese military comfort women!
2. Apologize officially!
3. Reveal the truth about the crime!
4. Erect memorial tablets for the victims!
5. Pay restitution to the victims or their families!
6. Teach the truth about this so that you do not commit the same crimes!
7. Punish the war criminals!

-Thousands upon thousands of paper cranes sent from a Japanese elementary school.-

I was shocked by all of this. I was having a hard time altering my worldview and a hard time making sense of what I was hearing. I was appalled by the injustices of this world, by the brutality and by the inhumanity. But what took my breath away was this: of all the visitors that the old women receive, the majority of them are Japanese. Thousands of school children write every year to apologize for the crimes of their grandfathers and one Japanese man has kindly devoted his life to serving these women, he has forsaken his freedom to lives in the harmoni community and make reparations for his fathers.

-Portraits of the survivors.-

For more information:

BBC

Wikipedia

CNN

Dawseng

A Political Move, In My Opinion

What should have been the game of the century ended up being just a little suspicious.

-Traditional guards signaling the beginning of the game. In the background a sea of red supporting the South Korean flag.-

-Sara, Jess, Rach, Trev, Jeff and Jen. A great group of friends!!-

This past weekend, we had the amazing opportunity to watch Korea Republic (South Korea) take on their rivals to the north, Korea DPR. This match up was part of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier, but it seemed like something was a little 'off' and I don't mean just the game. The South dominated in possession, foot work and had the hometown advantage. There were many shots on the North Korean goal but all shots were shockingly wide and high. That is all expect for one which was a direct shot into the the goalkeepers chest. The final score, 0-0. Can anyone say, 'political move'?!?

- A goal kick. South in red, North in white.-

-World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea.-

So, why do I think throwing the game was a political move to on the part of South Korea? Because, logically, all evidence shows that there was nothing to lose by tying for either team. Both teams had already qualified for the finals and so there was little to no harm in throwing the game for political advances. Also considering that back in March, when the two teams last met, there was mounting tension as the South Korean Anthem and flag were refused at the game in North Korea's capital city, Pyongyang. So, with a win not necessary and a rocky relationship to patch up, it seems to us that this once excellent team all of the sudden lowered their shooting skills to that of a peewee team to appease their northern brothers.

-Watch out! We're armed and dangerous...just ask Sara.-