War! War! What are we fighting for?

My family on the way to Korea in 1955

As the United States and other Western powers debate whether or not to send military intervention to Syria I am reminded of Jimmy Carter's statement that (and I paraphrase here) even when war is a necessary evil, it is always an evil.

 I have never actually been in a war, but my perspective is still colored by personal experiences, and maybe by echos of my Quaker ancestors.

I was only 4 years old when I first crossed the Pacific ocean with my parents and my older brother.  It was 1955 and the  cease fire on the Korean peninsula had been in effect for only 2 years.  South Korea, where we lived was still devastated by the war.  Some of my earliest memories are of playing in the amputee center where men missing limbs worked on usable wooden prostheses or made crafts to support themselves.


Women building a road

Families lived in shacks made from scraps of military canvas and pounded out tin cans.  Sanitation was non-existant. The children I played with all had runny noses and red chapped cheeks in the winter.  Many had open sores on their skin. It was impossible to get warm in the winter or cool in the summer.

Work conditions were primitive, with women carrying rocks on their heads to build roads and other infastructure.  Equipment for even the simplist task was not available.

Everything was destroyed.  The mountains were bare of all but the sparsest vegetation.  Food was scarce.  Many of the larger buildings that were left standing were missing windows or had been bombed to ruins.  We children  were warned not to pick up any strange objects as there were always stories circulating about children who found live land mines and died or lost limbs.  We saw the legless beggars in the street and knew that the danger was real.  Still, the bright broken tiles of bombed out buildings made attractive toys for children who had nothing else to play with.

My two "moms" caring for orphans

My own life was separated by one degree.  I did not live in a shack, but was raised by a Korean "second mother" who lost her family, was imprisoned, and suffered torture as a result of war. My own mother worked closely with widows and orphans whose lives were destroyed by war.

 

Growing up in that world gave me perspective on the effects of war and causes me to always consider the long term effects.  Recovery from war is a painful process that impacts generations.

 

The people of Syria have already endured two-and-a-half years of war.  Many are displaced.  Others have lost loved ones, homes, and livlihood.  The use of chemical weapons is deplorable and cannot be excused, but what is the correct response?

 

Whenever I am faced with a difficult question, expecially one with moral implications, my missionary upbringing sends  scripture references and Sunday school lesson into my head.  In this instance there are several difficult questions:

1. What is our moral obligation?  I teach in a Catholic institution where we often talk about the mandate of the Sisters of St. Joseph to care for the dear neighbor.  The people of Syria would certainly qualify as "dear neighbor", but how do we best care for them?  What are the possible consequences of our actions, even if they are well meaning?  Will the "intervention" of the U.S. and/or other Western countries spark a fire that will lead to more pain and destruction?  My mother always taught me that two" wrongs" do not make a "right".  Won't any additional military intervention lead to more destruction and loss?  Is there another or better way to care for our neighbor?
2. Why is it our responsibility to police other countries?  Who made us the judge? The Bible verse that comes to mind is "Judge not least you be judged".  Didn't we use agent orange and napalm in Southeast Asia?  I'm sure one could argue that it was a different situation and that the agent orange was meant to thin the folage that protected our enemies, but I doubt that the people on the ground who suffered physical loss or loss of their livlihood or farm would appreciate that distenction.  The follow-up question is: Why do we feel it is our responsibility to intervene in some situations while we allow other equally serious autrocities to go unpunished, even unnoticed?  What about the Congo, Bosnia, etc.  The other verse that comes to mind on this issue is the one about removing the log from your own eye before trying to remove the speck from your neighbor's. We continue to justify water boarding and other forms of torture that we would most likely condemn if performed by others.
3. What is the real motive?  Is our motive truely humanitarian?  I have heard arguments from a retired general that a strike on Syria would make it more difficult for regime (that we want overthrown) to regain power.  He went on to say that we have already determined that it is in our best interest for the regime to fall.  Are we being fed humanitarian propeganda to mask the real motive?

 I am not arguing that what has happened in Syria is excusable, or that we have no responsibility.  I am simply arguing that we (by "we" I mean our leaders.  I certainly have no say other than my one small vote in the next election) need to look long and hard at ourselves, our motives, and the possible consequences of our actions.  If we review history carefully we are likely to discover that most wars are not fought for noble or humanitarian causes.  They are fought for power - either political or economic.  They benefit few and harm many.

Nor am I in any way disrespecting the men and women who serve in the military in any country.  In the United States most who join the military join either because they truely want to make the world a better place, or they join for the military benefits that promise a better future for them and their families.  They put their own lives in danger for the supposed good of others.  My heart goes out to them as I ponder the many questions surrounding war.  What is our moral obligation to them?

I look at war from a personal perspective that cannot see the justification outweighing the harm.  Beyone my childhood in post-war Korea I have seen the devastation of war in Vietnam where I visited in the early 1970s, during the conflict there.  I have seen it in the lives of the refugees and their children who have been my patients here in the United States.  I have tried to help them through their physical pain, mental anguish, and adjustment to a new country.  Refugees are the survivors, but still the victims of war.  They are displaced and relocated into a new and often unwelcoming environment.  Many are separated from family and other loved ones, often without knowledge of the fate of those they lost.  From my perspective I see too many victims who did nothing to deserve their fate.  I see the many faces of war that I have known over my life-time.  All of this makes it very difficult for me to condone any type of military action, no matter how compelling the retoric.

 

 

Gang Jeong Village Protest on Jeju Island

The Village of Gang Jeong on Jeju Island used to be a sleepy fishing village where hundreds of dolphins frolicked in the cove.  It was previously one of the most beautiful views where volcanic rock met the ocean, treasured by the entire island.  Now the dolphins are gone and the once crystal clear water of the ocean tributaries grow thick green algae, feeding on pollution from the nearby construction site.  There is a new Naval base being built in Gang Jeong, despite the protests and environmental concerns of local residents.

In preparation for the expected war ships, the bay is undergoing dredging and deepening.  Cement trucks barrel through the scenic coastal highway where hikers and bikers typically come for solitude and meditation.  The ocean life in the area is slowly dying away and along with it, the livelihood of many village residents.

But the protest is about more than the obvious environmental issues.  The residents of this island have a history of first rejecting the original division of Korea, and secondly working for peace and re-unification.  The peaceful stance of the island has been in terms of human life and suffering, but the residents of Gang Jeong village are not willing to give up.

They continue to pay dearly.  Many Koreans, including some of the local residents, have accepted the propaganda of fear.  They believe that the unique location of Jeju half way between Japan and Korea, as well of its proximity to China make it a crucial defense sight for northern Asia.  This is a view that has been jointly promoted by South Korea and the United States.  This has costs divisions within families with some family members attending demonstrations in front of the base construction sight while others condemn their actions as being unpatriotic.

I recently spent 2 days among the protesters.  Many have been attending daily for years.  Each day of protest starts with a Catholic Mass at 11:00.  During mass some of the demonstrators sit in front of each of the two main gates to the base.  Near the end of Mass troops of police arrive to clear the demonstrators so that the trucks carrying construction materials can enter or exit the construction site.  There are two battalions of police, one male and one female.  They physically lift the protestors, most sitting in chairs, set them aside, and allow the trucks to pass.  The female police officers are assigned to the nuns and other women in the group.  Once the trucks have passed, the police retreat and the protestors return to their posts.

Following Mass the demonstrators join hands in front of the base and sing and dance until lunch is served in the make-shift sanctuary turned mess hall.  After lunch the crowd disperses. 

Besides the daily demonstration, there is a book store and a peace center in the village where supporters can gather or collect information.  Demonstrators come from around the world to support the protest.  Some stay for a short period of time, as we did, others stay for years.  Koreans from the mainland have also joined in the protest.  Some have given up jobs and careers to spend years supporting the villagers.  Many vow to continue to the end.  One man has lived in a tent at the edge of the construction site for the past year, hoping that his presence there will help prevent expansion of the base.  Meanwhile researchers review the plans for the base and measure the environmental impact to the area.  Their predictions are grim.

Jeju is the island of the divers.  It is a place with a unique culture based on the strength of women, particularly women of the sea.  The economy is based on the products of the sea, such as seafood, as well as on tourism.  Both will be severely impacted by the presence of the large military base and the traffic of war ships and airplanes.  The village of Gang Jeong will be impacted most of all.

Although the base is officially a South Korean naval base, it is strongly supported by the United States which has a new emphasis on presence in Asia. 

For more information:
http://www.savejejunow.org (English/Mandarin/Japanese)
http://www.facebook.com/Savejeju (English/Korean)
http://www.facebook.com/groups/nonavalbase (English)
http://twitter.com/SavejejuNow (English)
http://cafe.daum.net/peacekj

North Korean Chicken Soup

I don't remember exactly where I got this one, but if you like garlic you'll love it:

North Korean Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken
8-10 cups water ( or thereabouts)
1 package tofu
About a handful or two (or more) of Korean red hot pepper flakes
5-8+ cloves garlic (I like 8+)
1-2 bunches scallions
salt

Directions:
Bring water to a boil.  Add chicken and tofu.  Bring to a simmer.  Pick out tofu when it floats.  Keep chicken cooking until it is cooked. (meanwhile, skim the water of the "scum")

When chicken is cooked, lower heat and shred the chicken meat.  Shred it very finely.

Mash tofu.

Put shredded chicken in a bowl.  Add mashed tofu.  Add hot pepper, garlic, scallions and salt - and mix everything up by hand.  Taste - it should taste a bit salty but not be overpoweringly salty.  And the chicken mixture should have a substantial amount of hot pepper in it.  The mixture is called "ohn bahn"

Serve - put rice in the broth with the ohn bahn.  Mix up and eat!

Love and Marriage in Transition

In ancient Korea girls and women were kept inside the house away from all contact with males other than family members, and even that was often minimal.  Marriages were arranged by families and matchmakers.  They were essentially political unions to promote the economic and social status of the families involved.  The bride was no more than a pawn on a chess board.  She typically  did not even see her husband until after the ceremony when they were expected to consummate the marriage, often with family waiting patiently outside their room for proof.

I attended a traditional Korean marriage ceremony when I was in the Peace Corps in the 1970s.  In that particular case the marriage had been arranged, but I believe the couple had met once prior to the ceremony.  The day was full of rituals including a number of large meals at both the bride and the grooms respective homes.  The ceremony itself was quite traditional, complete with symbols such as rice, chicken, dried fish, and wooden ducks.  The ducks are a gift from the grooms best friend symbolizing fidelity.  The bride was brought out by male family members to be presented to the groom.  Throughout the ceremony her face was covered by extensions of her sleeves, held high to cover her face.  At the end of the ceremony she lowered her arms and the bride and groom shared a toast.
After the ceremony and a third feast, the bride and groom retired to a room in the house while the wedding party Waited.

Around the same time I met a young woman who came to me to learn English before traveling to the United States to join her husband.  This young woman was a dancer who had been part of the national ballet.  Her family was progressive enough to allow her some choice in marriage partners, but was quite insistent that she marry, despite the fact that she was quite happy with her life as it was.  Her family arranged a number of meetings with potential mates.  She refused them all.  The pressure  mounted and she finally agreed to marry a young man who was home from studying in the United  States.  He was quite possibly under equal pressure to marry.  My friend compared her honeymoon to typhoid fever as the two worst events of her life.  After her husband returned to the United States she was in no hurry to join him, but finally caved to pressure from her family to learn English in preparation for her upcoming life in America.  I later found her in Colorado and watcher her transition from a frightened immigrant who refused to answer her door to a competent professional with a masters degree from a U.S. university.  The marriage also blossomed after a difficult start.

Marriage practices in Korea continue to evolve.  A popular Korean TV drama follows several young people as they struggle with relationships.  By U.S. standards their struggles are tame, but this is a new playing field for Korean youth.  In the drama, the jilted suitor cozies up to the girl's mother hoping that pressure from mom will work in his favor.  Meanwhile the object of his affection has obviously fallen in love with someone else.  He is also enamored with her, but the two continue to maneuver around each other with smiles and small talk, unable to break the impasse

In real world Korea, despite a loosening up on dating, premarital sex is not acceptable and babies of unwed mothers are abandoned to orphanages.  Single moms are ostracized by society.  A recent article cited the low birth rate in Korea as a major problem related to inability of Korean youth to date or otherwise find a life partner.  The transition in marriage practices, like any major change, is a painful one wrought with issues that must be gradually resolved in keeping with the cultural values of this society within a larger global community.

Frisbee Diplomacy

Young Pioneer Tours is one of the few companies taking tourists into the northern part of North Korea.  This part of the country is less developed than the area around Pyongyang and, perhaps, gives a more realistic view of life in North Korea where farming is done with hand tools and the roads are unpaved.  One tour participant was surprised by the number of ox carts she saw from the window of their tour bus so she started counting.  She stopped when she got to 200. Apparently the ox cart is still the major form of transportation in this area, much as it was in rural South Korea in the 1950s.

One of the major disappoints for the group was their prohibition from interacting with the citizens of the region.  One large Australian man was particularly upset with this policy and even had a few words with the North Korean guides to no avail.

One of the attractions for the guests was a visit to a spa.  As the others entered the spa the large Aussie held back.  Soon there was a regular ruckus outside the spa that brought the tourists outside to investigate.  To their surprise their Aussie friend and the entire local villager were engaged in a rousing game of frisbee while the North Korean guides looked on in dismay.  At the conclusion of the game the Aussie approached a man who seemed to be a village leader, bowed politely, and presented the frisbee.  A moment the villagers, no doubt, will be talking about for awhile.

There is a saying in India, "do what you can with what you have".  Not too far from that village, on the Chinese side of the border, an 80 year-old South Korean minister and his wife run a small farm.  Rev. Han has written several books on sustainable agriculture.  He welcomes North Koreans who can travel to China to visit his farm and learn how to build warm shelters out of readily available inexpensive materials and how to grow small sustainable gardens in the harsh climate of northern Korea.  His belief is that relief from the hunger in North Korea must come from within.  Outside aid is not a sustainable solution.

My own interest in the division of Korea started at an early age.  My family came to Korea in 1955, just two years after the end of the Korean War.  Here is an excerpt from my book that explains my introduction to the issue:

"Shortly after our arrival in Korea in 1955, my father heard of a Christian woman who had been imprisoned as a communist sympathizer.  Her husband, as far as anyone knew, was in North Korea.  She had collaborated with the North Koreans during the war in order to save her family.  After the war that same family turned her in to the authorities.  Abandoned by her family and barely able to walk because of the torture she had endured during her imprisonment.  Kimsi was released from prison into my father's custody.  Although Kimsi was employed as a domestic helper, a common practice so that missionary women could participate in the work of the mission, she became a part of our family and remained with us until we left Korea (1967).  She was my mother's right arm and a second mother to us children."

In more recent years I have followed events in North Korea in the news as well as through reports from former missionaries who have visited North Korea and worked for reunification in Korea.  One group that visits Korea on a regular basis to provide medical and nutritional support is Christian Friends of Korea.  Their website is: cfk.org

Helping Hands Korea is an organization that helps North Korean Refugees : www.helpinghandskorea.org/

The tour group is:  www.youngpioneertours.com/

If you are interested in my book about acculturation and the Korea missionary experience you can find it at: www.kirkhouse.com/Books/An_Intricate_Tapestry

Remember to do what you can with what you have

Reflections

Today marks the beginning of my last week in Korea.  It is time to gather my impressions and reflect on the trip.  I have somewhat of a unique perspective as I grew up in Korea during the 1950s and 60s then returned in the Peace Corps in the early 70s.  I was away from Korea for 37 years after that.

Returning now, in the 21st century, is like stepping out of a time machine into the future.   Gone are the mud brick thatched roofed dwellings of my childhood, replaced by high rise apartment buildings reminiscent of a scene from "A Bee's Life".  The ox carts on the dusty roads replaced by networks of subways where droves of women in short shorts and heels and men who stepped off the pages of Esquire Magazine find their personal space in the crowd by never lifting their eyes from the cell phones in their hands.  Not once, since I have been here, has a stranger asked me how much I weigh or any of the other 20 or so personal questions that were daily fare during my Peace Corps days.

We used to travel across the country to Imshil to buy cheese from the Belgium priest there.  There was no where else to it.  Foreigners had trouble finding familiar foods.  Now you can stop at Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robbins or KFC for your familiar food items.  You can even have McDonald's deliver.

But Korea goes much deeper than the glitzy exterior of K-Pop and plastic surgery.  A German friend compared Korea to Germany as two nations that came out of devastating wars and a troubled past to rise to the top in economic and social development.  While Germany has a past of shame to overcome, Korea was the exploited nation.  Both fought to overcome their history through hard work and dedication.  The Korean work ethic and desire to succeed are hard to match.  Children often go  from school to a private educational institution, or hogwan, then on to a music lesson or athletic  training session before returning home for dinner followed by homework.  The industrial revolution in Korea is often credited with the nation's current power status, but it was a hard and brutal revolution built on the bent backs and busy hand of young girls in sweat shops.  The human price was high.  It is still high.  Work and school stress is enormous.  Migrant workers from poorer countries often work 16 hour days seven days a week in sweatshop conditions.

There is a very humanitarian side to Korean society.  The religious groups are active in charity and social justice work.  Korean Protestant churches send more missionaries around the world than churches in just about any other country.    Others fulfill their mission at home.  One friend is minister to a small church in Inchon that serves many immigrant families.  I recently was with her when a group of Korean nationals from Uzbekistan had a day off from work and needed help navigating Seoul.  We ended up taking them to a local amusement park for the evening.  Nothing like an amusement park to light up the eyes of a child.  My friend's mother, a physician, started a clinic  for migrant workers that has ballooned into a variety of services including a shelter and a school.

We visited Catholic activists on Jeju-do and learned of their opposition and efforts to help local residents stop the construction of a new Navy base.  They are protesting on a combination of environmental and social justice or anti-military escalation issues.  I also visited a Catholic hospital in Seoul that is linked to an orphanage, a homeless shelter, and a home for disabled citizens.  The hospital serves all uninsured and otherwise needy individuals who would have difficulty receiving or paying for services elsewhere.

The Buddhist in Korea are also proponents of social and environmental justice.  What has been interesting to me, and this is only from my own limited observations, is that there seems to be little cooperation amongst the various religions even though their aims are similar, if not the same.

If social media is a reflection of culture than no reflection would be complete without attention
to television, Facebook, etc.  While my Korean is not always up to catching all the dialogue on TV I can make a few observations.  The issues related to prejudice, particularly towards individuals of mixed race, is often front and center in the media, but in a subtle way.  There is a morning reality series that follows several mixed families in thePhilippines.  The program highlights the joys and struggles, particularly of the Korean spouses, but in general has a very positive tone.  A recent Korean movie tells the story of a half-Filipino boy with an amazing talent as he competes in a Korean talent competition.  Prejudice is front and center in the story line.

A recent morning talk show did an interview with a young man who had lost an arm and a leg.  The hosts talked with him and his wife about their lives and their struggles.  It was a very frank and positive interview.

Soap operas have always been popular in Korea.  One now features an openly gay character.  He has a lot of struggles and (in my view) his character and story line need work, but it is a start.

There is a plethora of health and wellness material everywhere.  Food shows combine local culture and cuisine.  Talk shows feature body builders in their 80s and yoga instructors teaching the talk show hosts how to exercise properly.  Parks with plenty of outdoor exercise equipment are plentiful.

Being a foreigner is still an adventure in Korea.  There are lots of us now, but we are still a curiosity. I was asked by my hosts' church to give a talk on foreign missionaries.  That would not have been a stretch except that I had to do it in Korean (remember I was gone for. 37 years).  No sooner had I gotten past that than I learned that my hosts (members of Korea Home Stay) had been selected to be interviewed for a major TV network.  Needless to say their home stay guests were expected to be part of the interview.  I make my TV debut tomorrow morning.

I'm sure my remaining week will be equally exciting.  Stay tuned.