Yemen Bombing Survivors Still in Shock

“I don’t want to recall the nightmare.”

Twelve Korean tourists who survived a terrorist attack in Yemen returned to Korea yesterday afternoon. They left Yemen and stayed a night in Dubai before going home.

They said little to reporters at the airport.

A 54-year-old woman “Hong” and Park Jeong-sun, 40, who were seriously injured in Sunday’s bombing, were directly transferred to ambulances in a wheelchair. Hong went to Kangnam St. Mary’s Hospital and Park to Kangbuk Samsung Medical Center in Seoul.

They declined to answer questions about the incident due to shock. As reporters asked questions, they just shook their heads.

Hong wore a white face mask and a green hat. Her left cheek was swollen because of injury.

“Since I wasn’t told before that the area where the incident occurred was dangerous, I went sightseeing in Yemen and then we were attacked, “a 60-something man “Lee” from Daegu said. “I’ve told everything to the government’s joint investigation team and I’ve nothing to say.”

A 50-something woman “Kwon” said, “I didn’t go sightseeing and rested in the hotel, but when another woman returned to the hotel with blood on her clothes, I learned that a terrorist bombing attack took place.”

“Our travel agent didn’t tell me the region was dangerous before I left for Yemen.”

Min Jeong-sun, 80, went to the airport to see her daughter, who survived the deadly bombing. “I knew she went abroad March 9, but I learned she went to Yemen only after the incident occurred. I’m so grateful she came back safe.”

The families of the four tourists killed in the bombing went to Yemen. They will return to Korea after collecting the dead bodies.

A source from the travel agency said, “We are providing everything possible but the cost of transporting the corpses and the transportation costs for the bereaved families will reach tens of millions of won, which is too much of a burden for a small travel agency with only six employees.”

min07@donga.com run-juno@donga.com