?? Though the memories are gone, the heart remembers

[Jay]

1998.06.25
​

Chae Yeongjin walked as she had every year at the Seoul National Cemetery. She passed the long rows of soldiers who had died in the Korean War. Every occasion she came to the cemetery where her two brothers were buried. She brought with her a small bag, with her brothers favorite snacks that they used to eat. The somber journey through the cemetery and the pain of every family that had someone buried here could not be put into words. The emptiness, and lingering reminder of it. Yeongjin reached the two tombstones that she had come to pass so many years now. She looked down to where her brothers were laid, the patches of grass the same as they were very year, and the flowers brought by the Government for Memorial Day still fresh and well. Just as the memories of their childhood were fresh and well in her mind. Yeongjin was twelve when the war broke out, now she was reaching her sixties, the memories of the war remained in her heart. The running out of the village, the long lines of refugees fleeing the fighting, the sound of something piecing the sky and loud eruptions that followed after. When her family reached Busan, they took her two brothers and father. They had promised that only one man per family was required to fight, but, quickly they simply took everyone. Anyone that could stand was dragged onto trains and sent to the frontline. She and her mother stayed alone, cold nights on the streets of Busan where rain drenched them. The feeling of bitter cold, when your body can not fight back because of exhaustion and starvation. Yeongjin wiped the small tears that came through as the rainy nights in Busan played in her mind. Yeongjin kneeled down and placed the small things she had brought for her bothers. She sat down after, next to their graves. She recounted to them the stories of Busan. That winter, many had died from the cold, freezing to death. The authorities cleared every building from churches, school, and industrial facilities to house them. She told them how they were lucky and were able to finally stay inside a church, where hundreds of others huddled nearby. Everyone trying to do their best to not freeze to death as the temperatures plummeted. It seemed endless back then, but as she looked back, the she remembered now as like the movies they had nowadays. The UN forces arriving, and then hearing that Seoul had been captured. People spread rumors that the war was over and it was safe to go back, others were weary and stayed. As winter came to a close, they had gotten a letter from dad that they had taken Pyongyang. Then, the news came that the dad had died. Nothing else, other than he was dead. They didn't receive any body. She remembered the day when the Chinese had crossed over, everyone who had thought the war was over, were taken aback. Slowly, they came closer and closer to Seoul. By this time, she told them that they were basically Busan natives. She had begun working at a nearby factory, with hundreds of others producing bullets. The Turkish Brigade opened a school, and her mom made sure she went there to avoid her staying in the factory. She remembered the large open field where she and over a hundred or more kids sat huddled around. They sat while the teacher in front of them, while a single textbook was used by the teacher to instruct the class. Death to her was normalized in her brain, everyday news of soldiers dying and seeing bodies on the street were another day. But, even with that, when news came of her brothers dying in 1951, she and her mom were devastated. They pleaded with the Army to let her brothers go, as they had no male members of their society left. That year, the Army had agreed to let one of the brothers go, but by this stage, the war intensified as the UN Forces fought bitterly to keep the North's offensives from breaking through. It was a pain she could not describe, but one that never left her heart. That year had been the hardest for her, but, she still thought on the lucky times when she was able to get her hands on the waste discarded by UN troops near their bases and the others in the church pooling it together to eat a soup. After 1952 when the war had stalemated at the frontlines, she and her mom walked again, passing the streets that they had once ran across to seek shelter. Destroyed tanks, burnt out villages and flames littered the road back to their village. When they returned, they were thankful that the village had been spared much bloodshed. They came back to see some of their neighbors. But, nothing was normal after that. When the war was over, they were lucky, the were able to get the remains of their brothers, but their fathers remains were still unaccounted for. The Chinese Offensive led to a mass retreat, and the remains of those killed were not recovered. As she looked at the graves of her brother, she wished she could bring her father the Bukkumi and Yakgwa he loved. So she could sit and tell him stories she remembered of their childhood, and what mom and her had to go through when they left. Yeongjin spent the entire afternoon recounting these stories, before her son, now well grown and old came to bring her home. He never understood why she spent so much time there, but, he did his best to keep her happy. He bowed and gave prayer to his dead uncles, before he brought his mother home. Across the South, everyone watched the news, even Yeongjin as she saw President Kim and Chairman Kim signing the reunification accords. Her son and wife talked about it, only looking at it from how this would mean their elder son wouldn't have to go to the army, or how the development bank was on full-time to prepare a plan. Yeongjin looked with hope, that she would be able to get her fathers body back for burial. Hope, that the pains of the war never again were inflicted on the Korean people.

​

The Korean Government began working to recover and find the remains of nearly 32,788 soldiers who were unaccounted for from the war. Nearly 24,500 Korean soldiers were still unaccounted for, alongside around 7,800 Americans, 180 British, and 165 Turkish troops who participated in the war. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs was now tasked with ensuring the complete canvasing of the Republic of Korea and with different maps and information taken from the North's archives, the Ministry began the project planning. By the beginning of July, they'd launch the program to bring back the return of these veterans and heroes, to bring closure to many and to help the country move forward.

 

[Jay]

​

In the county of Changjin, hundreds of Koreans gathered in the exit of recently built train station. Hundreds of men and women from various parts of the country and occupancies gathered in somber as the remains of over 20,000 Korean Soldiers had been recovered from across the country and beginning to be repatriated. In Changjin, over six thousand bodies alone had been recovered including thousands of Americans, hundreds of Chinese, and tens of thousands of Koreans from both sides of the Peninsula. Across the country, the Armed Forces prepared formal burial rites for their fallen heroes while families held closure as the remains of their brothers, fathers and grandfathers returned to them. Closure as the remains of their parents could be buried together, Closure as the remains of their siblings could be given dignity, Closure as the nation healed. Across the country, the flag of the Republic of Korea waved at half mast as the country held a moment of silence between 9:59 AM and 10:00 AM. On the anniversary of the war's end, the Korean people felt in their hearts the echos of silence across the Peninsula.

Planes would be halted, factories closed, streets devoid of motor traffic. The Peninsula was quiet for a long minute as they remembered the armistice that brought an end to the open war, and then four decades of separations and tragedy. Chairman Kim Jong-il would on the occasion, issue a heartfelt message to the Korean People, with his pains and sorrows, his first public statement in over a year. The Korean Political Parties and Leader would join together for a moment of silence in Parliament and at the Blue House.

For foreigners in Korea, the moment of silence would be startling and scary. A city never quiet and always bustling quiet for a moment. Yet, while the streets were quiet, the hearts of the Korean people roared with emotions. Rage, sorrow, and more which could not be explained by words. Across the country, people released paper doves lantern kites into the air as they lifted away. Over eighty thousand doves were released across the Peninsula. A family can never be divided, no matter their differences. This is the tale of the Korean people.

승리는 가강 끈기 있는 자에게 돌아간다
우리 대한민국 만세​