We’ve Clearly Experienced Face-to-Face Situation between the North and the South

“Seeing with my own eyes, I’ve realized how much security is important and what role the United States Armed Forces play in Korea.”

The eighty students including Miguel Ik-Tae An Giyen (25 years old), the grandson of the deceased Sir An, Ik-Tae, expressed such impressions on 14th, which was the last day of the ‘Exploration of the Demilitarized Zone’ held for two nights and three days sponsored by the Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization.

The students stated in unison that it was an excellent experience to realize the importance of the security and the role of the United States Armed Forces along with the meaning of what the real patriotism is.

On day of 12th, they visited the Dorasun Station of the Gyeongi Line within the commoner commutable region and the security tourist spots during the day and at night, they had a chance of experiencing staying over at the barracks of the BiRyong Union Camp of the front most line Korean Army.

On the 13th, after walking through the Panmunjom where the North Korean soldiers were standing right in front, the students participated in an event of flying away balloons in hope of the unity at the Observation Post in Yeonchun-gun, Gyeonggi Province.

“Honestly, it was a little frightening to see the North Korean soldiers with my own eyes and realized the fact that the United States Armed Forces play an important role at the borderlines. I’ve not able to feel the fact that we are solemnly standing face-to-face with North Korea”, stated Jeong, Chan-Wook (Sophomore at the GyeongBuk University).

The students had a chance to actually touch the iron fences at the most front line along with the boundary lines of the North and the South and looked anxiously at the North Korea’s guard post on the other side of the fence.

Also, one of the female student stated, “I did not have that many thoughts and fears about the North Korea’s nuclear issue but it was very frightening to think about it at the very site. The accompanied friends also said they need to rethink about the cold war and the anti-Americanism.”

Mr. Giyen stated, “It really was a great confusion to see the reality of my own fellow countrymen standing on the other side of the fence with a gun pointing towards me but it was also a great chance for me to rethink about what it really means to love my country.”

On the last day of the exploration experience, the 14th, the students visited the Camp Red Cloud, headquarter of the United States 2nd Division, located in the city of Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province to hear the explanation on the actuality of the United States Armed Forces in Korea.

“We’ve had not even a chance to come in close contact with how the U.S. Soldiers actually live but we’ve realized for the first time that they are intensively trained in coarse environment”, the students stated in unison after the visit at the Camp Red Cloud.

argus@donga.com