UNMCK - UNITED NATIONS MEMORIAL CEMETERY IN KOREA

Dear Korean War Veterans, Hello, My name is Jooyoung Park and I go to Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies. Currently, I’m a member of a school club named ‘C.C’, where we do campaigns about Korean War Veterans. The world is literally in chaos these days because of COVID-19. Sadly, many people got the virus, and many people even died, too. Korea was also affected early by the virus because of its geographical location, and now, the situation is much better compared to that of a month ago, due to the blood-curdling efforts of medical staff and citizens. We’ve worked hard to keep the social distance and to make sure that all citizens who are at risk to be cured. Schools are closed. Restaurants, shopping malls, and in some places, even public transportation is closed. Since we had once failed to ward off another virus called MERS 5 years ago, officials and medical teams are especially working hard not to repeat those mistakes again. Because of this pandemic, I’m also having the most boring times I have ever spent in my whole life. Originally, each day I would be excitedly waiting for a new day to start, since March is when we start our new semester and meet new friends. But these days, I do almost nothing but stay home all day. I sometimes go out to go to the library or to buy some snacks, and that’s all. Outside the flowers are blooming, but I never feel like I’m spending my spring time these days. What is worse, currently I’m a senior in high school, so I only have about 200 days left for this year’s college entrance exam, which is a life-decisive event one can experience as a Koeran. Things are really tough, but I try to stay as bright as I can. On weekends I stop studying for a while and do things I like. Especially I’m into musicals such as ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ and ‘Les Miserables’ these days, so I re-watch the musicals on video and play the music using my flute. At time like this, why don’t you stay bright as you can doing things you like? Now that I think about this awful pandemic, I wonder what it was like during the Korean War. Since it was a war against people, it would have been a much more tense, unstable, and dangerous situation than it is now. Thank you so much for fighting for Korea even in such a harsh situation. When I was a kid, my grandmother would always tell me about heroes; that they are the ones from God to protect people on behalf of him, since he cannot keep an eye on all countries all at once. You are truly Korea’s precious heroes until now to have protected Korea during such crisis. I wish the world will finally overcome this pandemic with a healthy and positive mind. Remember to stay healthy and bright until this pandemic ends.:) With love, Jooyoung Park