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- Younger Koreans are very friendly and engaging.
- Koreans of all ages have a very good sense of humor.
- Koreans do not like the Japanese much, largely because the Japanese occupied
Korea from 1910 to 1945, which Japanese textbooks downplay. - Koreans drink a lot.
- Korea is the first 1st World country we've been to on this trip (which was nice).
- The Korean is physically the largest species of Asian we have encountered.
since only a ceasefire was signed in 1953. Since then, the North Koreans covertly built
over 20 tunnels under the DMZ, designed to facilitate an invasion of South Korea. The
tunnel we visited could transport 10,000 troops per hour under the DMZ (unfortunately,
cameras were not permitted in the tunnels). When the South Koreans discovered the
tunnels, North Korea immediately denied involvement, claiming instead that South Korea
had built them to invade the north. When irrefutable proof emerged that North Korea had
indeed built the tunnels, the North lamely claimed that the tunnels were built for “coal
mining.” There is no coal anywhere near the DMZ.
finally prevailed with a massive 160 meter tall flagpole, humbling South Korea (who could manage only
100 meters). The thing looks like the Eiffel Tower with a flag on top, and it is in the Guinness book of
world records. North Korea also boasts a very nice looking town just across the DMZ. Problem is, no
one lives there--it is entirely for show. The only sign of life I could make out on the northern side (through
a telescope) was the chilling sight of a convoy of 100 military trucks (no exaggeration).
are also effed up, but you don’t have nuclear weapons or such an organized system of effing yourself
up). Great Leader Kim Il Sung, who died ten years ago (after a long career of repression and
executions) is officially still head of state. They have frozen his body, and once science has advanced
sufficiently, he will be brought back to life to lead his country once again. At least that’s the plan. In
the meantime, Dear Leader Kim Jong Il runs the show. When Dear Leader is not developing nuclear
weapons, he enjoys fine wines, lavish palaces, kidnappings, and Russian prostitutes. His subjects
fare less well. Those who haven’t starved to death are hungry most of the time, their electricity rarely
works, and they must attend “political education” meeting six nights a week (where they learn, among
other things, that the U.S. is to blame for all their problems). If you fail to learn these lessons, Dear
Leader will send you to a “political re-education” camp, where you will likely be worked to death.
Alternatively, you will be hung or shot in the town square, a spectacle the entire town will be forced to
watch. This nuclear weapon-having lunatic is one sick midget. If I were in the White House, I’d have
someone (perhaps the Russian mafia using one of Dear Leader’s Russian prostitutes) whack him and
his son, then see what happens. Couldn’t be worse than the current situation. Something tells me
that Condi, Rummy, Cheney haven’t presented that option to Dubya.
The South Koreans hope to reunify with
North Korea within 20 years. The first
step of the plan is to engage the north
economically: South Korea already
announced massive aid to help North
Korea’s failing power grid, and if all
goes according to plan, Hyundai will
build a plant in North Korea and a
railway will connect the two countries
by 2007. Reunification is obviously
impossible as long as Kim Jong Il—or
another dictator—is in power, so the
political side of the equation is thornier.
Even if North Korea’s economy were to
strengthen within 20 years, and the
political system were miraculously to
change and permit for reunification, it
would be challenging for South Korea to
deal with an entire country of
completely brainwashed people.
Korea—I’m trying to help, while Keith, who thinks
reunification would be a bum deal for South Korea, is doing
his best to prevent it. Ha.
restaurant, shop, and coffee shop imaginable. The nightlife is quite something, and as a consequence,
we were treated to the sunrise on more than one occasion. Pitchers of beer come in a 3L size, and
even the girls seemed to be downing gallons of the stuff. Soju is also quite popular.
is Gyeongju.
of the Silla dynasty, which ruled a large part of
South Korea form 56 B.C. to 967 A.D. The town
is dotted with large mounds of grass, which is how
Silla royalty were buried.
“crowning glory” of Silla temple architecture, and is on the Unesco World Cultural Heritage List. Here’s
a direct quote from the description posted outside the temple that made shamefully made Keith and me
chuckle: “The temple served as a center of prayer against foreign invasion. The entire temple was
burnt down by Japanese invaders in 1593.” We also visited the local museum, Anapachi Pond, and
Asia's largest bell.
invitation, and only St. Petersburg actually sounds interesting) and going straight to the Baltics.
