Bullying is wrong
Trip Start
Oct 23, 2006
1
10
27
Trip End
Oct 25, 2007
Seoul,
Korea Rep.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Korea may be small, but it doesn't let itself get pushed around - no way. It stands up to its bullies, always has, and I guess, always will. In an effort to educate both it's own people and foreigners on this very fact, the Korean government erected the War Memorial of Korea. Throughout history, the Chinese, Japanese and Mongols amongst others, have all tried, and failed, to make Korea part of their own crazy, mixed up expansionist programs. This country ain't no sucker
dont go up
.The cool thing is, the memorialis as much a playground as it is a place of rememberance. Ask any 7 year old boy, anywhere in the world, what he would rather play on - a jungle gym or a tank, and they'll say tank. Every time. Without fail. Why? Because tanks are wicked play toys. You can climb on the outside and inside, it's got a steering wheel (little boys dig pretending to drive) and huge gun. Not to mention the caterpillar wheels. Brilliant.
Korean boys are able to get their tank fix at the War Memorial of Korea. The grounds of the museum are packed with tanks, apvs, planes, artillery, submarines, missiles and missile launchers. And the kids are able to frolick, climb and play at will. Well, they do this anyway, despite the numerous 'Don't Go Up' signs everywhere. Oh, the grounds also house some impressive memorials to the Korean War, and a wedding hall - I know what you're thinking - what?
The inside of the museum is just as impressive as the outside. Three enormous floors which track Korea's military history throughout the ages. No prizes for guessing that the saddest part of this countries history is the Japanese occupation between 1910 and 1945
fallen soldiers 1
. One of its proudest moments, however, also came against the Japanese. Back in the year 1592, the Japanese stormed through Korea, dominating. Unstoppable domination. That was, until the Admiral Yi Sun-sin and his now famous turtle ships (ships shaped like a turtle - see the photos) fought back and turned the tide of the war in Koreas favour. Koreans love this guy, there's even a huge statue of the guy in the middle of the city.I dug the museum, it really gave me the full wartime experience. For instance, you can spend time in the "Battlefield Experience Room", if you feel the need to...experience a battlefield. There's also the memorial hall, where sunlight shines down through a hole in the roof onto a half sphere thingy (again - check photos). This is actually pretty wicked and unique. Then there's the "Navy Room", complete with a somewhat pointless (to me) model of the inside of a battleship's galley. Maybe it was depicting how wicked the view is from there. You can also find out who contributed troops to the Allied forces during the Korean War. No, it wasn't just America. A heap of countries helped out, including Ethiopia and Colombia. Australia sent 8,500 troops, the 4th largest contribution. All in all, the place was defiently as entertaining as a War Museum can be, if you get my drift.
You gotta give Korea a healthy round of applause- how, in the company it keeps, has it managed to stay an independent nation? To the west it has the colossus that is China, and to the east, the 'forever looking to expand' Japan. Perhaps it is this very position that has driven them to improve, grow, as a nation. It has certainly contributed to the sense of pride that Korean people feel toward their homeland. They've definetly earnt their place in the world, and the hard way. Keep that applause going a little longer...
Ok, Korean fact time. Korea's population density is 480 people per sq m - amongst the highest in the world. The population has just nudged 48 million. Seoul is home to 12 million.
www.warmemo.co.kr
