Learning from the Past

Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War

By Rigoberto Banta Jr., Guest Reporter

June 25th, 2010. The campus could have had a tense mood with the release of the first semester grades or perhaps an atmosphere of festivity with the graduation of some of our seniors. It might have been an annoying day for some with the official commencement of the hot season. This perfectly normal sounding day 60 years ago was the start of one of the longest wars the world has ever known. Koreans look at this day with significance but how exactly do foreigners look upon this event? As I walk back into the history of the Korean War past the vivid pictures and memorials of these striking events, the story unveils its implications to the present generation, Koreans and foreigners alike. 
  

  My June 25th this year was different. I joined Korea as it witnessed the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. As a student from a participating country, I had the chance to visit the sites that tell the story of the Korean War in commemoration of the anniversary. It was a meaningful event that students from all of the participating countries were able to partake in and to share their thoughts. The focus of the event was the visit to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) among others.
 

  The war that was, or is—still, has its rightful place among Koreans. Apparent from the memorials of the war, South Koreans know that they shouldn’t forget what occurred in the 38th parallel, lest history is bound to repeat. There are hundreds of paraphernalia explaining the Korean War in various places all-over the peninsula, symbolizing how we should learn from the past and not let it happen again. At the same time they feel forever grateful to the other countries that helped them, recognizing them through memorials and honoring ceremonies.

  Although technically the Korean Peninsula is still at war (with only a ceasefire treaty between the two parties), one thing that I noticed is how Koreans give value to the greatest lesson they learned from the war that was—that nothing is solved by war. With hundreds and thousands of people killed, millions wounded and a nation left in ruins, no one wins. Korea has realized this the hard way as other countries did. Through this, Korea is trying to share what it has learned with the world. A World Peace Bell Park was established in Hwacheon-gun of Kangwon-do to represent Korea’s fight for peace and world understanding.
 

  More than a Korea that shares peace to the world a Korea that was able to get back on its feet in a short span of time is what amazes me most. South Korea was in ruins in 1950, an Asian Tiger in 2010. 60 years of dedication to rise from the ruins and be recognized by the international community with the G20 set on November in the capital city of Seoul. At this pace, we should expect Korea as one of the world’s major centres in the next decade.

  I confess that I had doubts about South Korea before. With the fact that it was still in crisis with the North, I thought coming to South Korea might have been dangerous. But as I learned how South Koreans kept the memory of war with them and promised to attain a better Korea for future generations, I placed my bet on this nation. How was your June 25th?