General Paik Sun Yup: From Pusan to Panmunjom Potomac Memories of War, 2007 (original English version pub 1992) Your typical book on the Korean War centres on Generals MacArthur and Ridgeway, on the landing at Incheon and maybe (if it’s a British account) the battle at the Imjin. It’s a war fought by Americans, with … [Read More]
Category: History (page 22)
The Shining Fortress part 2: its remarkable story.
by Matthew Jackson The story which surrounds the building of the Hwaseong fortress is an extraordinary one. The fortress was originally built as part of the new Suwon city, a project initiated by King Chongjo. King Chongjo (or King Jeongjo, depending on your preferred romanization) had been greatly devoted to his father, Sado Seja, who … [Read More]
Gwanghwamun unveiled
I’m amazed that the Gwanghwamun plaza was ready on time. It was a building site when I passed by only two weeks ago. http://bit.ly/RPuac # Read an in-depth article over on Popular Gusts. [Read More]
The Shining Fortress part 1: its construction
by Matthew Jackson The official report by the advisors to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee concluded that the Suwon Hwaseong Fortress “represents the pinnacle of 18th century military architecture, incorporating the best of that from Europe and from the Far East. As such it has a unique historical importance”. What makes Hwaseong special? Following the editor’s … [Read More]
Two versions of the significance of 27 July
First, a press release from the White House, issued on 24 July: National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, 2009 – – – – – – – BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Fifty-six years after the signing of the Military Armistice Agreement at Panmunjom, Americans remain grateful for the courage … [Read More]
The LKL Korea Trip 2009 pt 2: Suwon and Prince Sado’s tomb
Thursday 16 July Today the plan is to get a few UNESCO world heritage points: the Hwaseong Fortress at Suwon, followed maybe by the nearby folk village. From my base in Insadong, a one-hour tube journey direct from Jonggak station on Line 1 takes me to Suwon, armed with my guide books. A moment of … [Read More]
Gen Paik Sun Yup Interview: Remembering the Forgotten War
Seoul, Friday 17 July 2009 “Freedom is not Free”, we are reminded by the inscription on the monument commemorating the Korean War. In the bustle of our daily lives, we can forget the sacrifices made by previous generations to secure our freedoms. I have come to the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul to meet … [Read More]
The epic stand on the Imjin
Jennifer Barclay, author of Meeting Mr Kim: Or How I Went to Korea and Learned to Love Kimchi, looks at Andrew Salmon’s exciting new book on the battle of Imjin River: To The Last Round (Aurum Press, June 2009) To the Last Round by Andrew Salmon gives the most exhaustive account to date of what … [Read More]
Fallen heroes – two contrasting Korean war films
June last year at the KCC saw the screening of two contrasting Korean War films from the 21st century. This year we saw two contrasting films from the last century, with very different perspectives. Lee Man-hee’s The Marines who Never returned takes a heroic look at the South Korean forces as the allied troops move … [Read More]
A manhwa artist at war
The Manhwa exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre finished this week, in preparation for the new Living Heritage exhibition. It was an interesting exhibition, giving some of the history of manhwa from its beginnings in early twentieth century newspapers, to the graphic novels which are avidly consumed today and which form a major part of … [Read More]
The Marines who never returned screens at the KCC
News of the screening at the Cultural Centre on 25 June, the anniversary of the start of the Korean War. Lee Man-hee’s classic war film – difficult to get to see. As usual, pre-registration is required. The Marines Who Never Returned (돌아오지 않는 해병) Director: Lee Man-hee (1963, 110 mins) Starring: Choi Mu-ryong, Chang Dong-hui … [Read More]
Global Korea Lecture: When whisky could buy you a jeep
Two days before the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1874, the second of the Global Korea lectures at the Cultural Centre looked at another time, nearly 60 years ago, when the Korean Peninsula was at the top of the UN’s agenda. It was a shame that a transport strike resulted in a reduced turnout … [Read More]
David Halberstam’s Korean War
David Halberstam The Coldest Winter – America and the Korean War 718pp, Hyperion, 2007 The subtitle of David Halberstam’s magnum opus, The Coldest Winter – America and the Korean War, at first seems a bit unimaginative. But it is to the point. After all, without Truman’s decision to commit US ground forces, the whole Korean … [Read More]
SOAS workshop: mutual perceptions in travel literature
News of a free study day later in June, a follow-up to SOAS’s conference two years ago. Modern Encounters and Transitional Images of ‘The Other’ Mutual Perceptions of Chosŏn Korea and the West in Travel Literature (1700~1910) A One-Day Workshop hosted by The Centre of Korean Studies, SOAS, in collaboration with the Faculty of Languages … [Read More]
Ernest Bethell in Korea
The ambassador’s blog reminds us that it is 100 years since the death of Ernest T Bethell, “a name all but unknown in his homeland”. Bethell merits half a page in Don Clark’s Living Dangerously in Korea – the Western Experience 1900-1950, but occupies the first (very brief) chapter in Don Kirk and Choe Sang-hun’s … [Read More]
The Great Game and Li-Ladygensky
What am I on about? Come to SOAS on Friday to find out. It looks like a particularly interesting lecture, this time in English, but note the change of venue. Friday, May 15th, 5pm, FG08 Prof. HyunSoo Kim, SOAS / Dangook University Title: “Interrelation between British Fleet’s Withdrawal from Port Hamilton (Kŏmundo) and the British … [Read More]