Korean+War+Interview+Sylvia+Jung+B+Block

=PODCAST/ SUMMARY = media type="file" key="asian studies interview.mp3"

= QUESTION/ TRANSLATION = 1. How old are you? Tell me your background before the war. 몇살, 직업, 어디에 살았는지 etc…. -17 years old, High School student and Geyong-nam Ha-dong

2. Do you remember the Korean War, how it was first started? 6.25 전쟁에 대한 기억이 남아있는지, 왜시작했는지 (자기 생각) - There were two sections to Korea, the North and South - The war started because North and South Korea had different opinions on how to run the country

3. Where were you when the war first started and whom where you with? 전쟁이 처음 시작했을때 어디에 있었느지, 누구랑 - I was with my family -It was during summer vacation 6.25 and we had to go to my home town

4. What do you remember about North and South Korea before the war? 전쟁전에 북한이랑 한국에 대한 관계가 어땠었는지 - Before the war, Korea was divided by the 38th parallel at 1945.08.15. - UN and America had helped S. Korea while USSR and China joined force with N. Korea

5. Why do you think the war was caused? What is the main cause? 전쟁이 시작한 원인 - North had attacked the South - Different thoughts about how the country should run

6. Where you able to support the war? 전쟁때 도움을 줄수있었는지 - No, because I was young - Even though I wanted to support the war, I didn't have the opportunity to help - I only helped my parents when we had to move to my sisters

7. If so, what made you want to support the war and how did you? 도와줄수있었으면, 어떻게 그리고 왜 - I only helped my family when we had to find a safer shelter

8. Do you have any family members/ relatives that were lost in the war? 이산가족이 있는지 - No, our relatives and family members were all safe since we were near Busan

9. What did you think about North Korea during the war? 전쟁이 잃어나 있었을때 북한에 대한 마음, 생각 - Enemies and rivals - Of course, I hated them

10. Do you have any harsh feelings towards North Korea? Why or why not? 북한에대한 원망 (?) 이 있는지 - Since the war had happened there were many economic issues - They were the ones to attack us first - They were a hostile power

11. During the war, if you were to choose, would you be a communist or a non-communist? 전쟁때 선택하라면 공산주의자될 생각이 있언는지 - I would of never said I would be a communist - Why would anyone think like so? - I hated the word communist and those who were communists - Still, I don't like the communist - I have no regrets on which side I chose

12. How did the war affect your community? 전쟁이 어떻게 나라/사회를 바꾸었는지 -

13. Did you have to leave your home? 전쟁때 집을 떠났나 - Yes, but only for 2 months - Our villages said that there were some families that decided to stay, those are still alive

14. If South and North Korea did not separate, what do you think Korea would be now? 만약 전쟁이 잃어 나지 안았다면, 지금 한국이 어땠을까 - If Korea was a country, we would be wealthier - No families that are separated and dieing to meet each other - There wouldn't be a strict police about the military and many would not have died at the military - Korea would of been peaceful

= ESSAY = Interviewing my grandparents was a great opportunity to actually talk about a historical event that took time when they were alive. Though they were at a young age, like us, they had gone through events that we could not compare our lives with. Living in a society were a war was going on with its own country was like watching your mom and dad fight. It was harsh and difficult to live in Korea at 1945. Discussing this even, I was able to find what others though about the communists and anti- communist. I have to admit that this was not an easy project because of communication problems. My grandparents spoke Korean, which was hard to understand what they were saying and for me, to ask them in Korean was a bit difficult as well.

As what we had learned the Korean War had started in June 25, 1950 and lasted two years. However, I did not know that Korea was divided into two before the war had started. After Korea became free form Japan in August 18, 1945, America had supported the South while Russia gave support to the North section of the division. This had created the division of Korea and the 38th parallel that divided Korea into two.

From this project I was able to develop the knowledge about this war. Though I was called a Korean War, it did not impact all of Korea. The war did not reach near Busan and where my grandmother lived. Though in the podcast, I interviewed only my grandma, I was able to discuss what had happened with my other grandparents as well. Luckily they were safe and they had no separated families. Unlike those whom lived in Seoul and other battle areas: the more North, the more safer.

I learned that we could not learn and understand historical events just by reading textbooks in class. To get a close sense of what we are learning, we have to discuss about the event to those who were actually alive during that time period. Having the person talk about the event will make it interesting to learn and easier to understand. The learners are able feel the mood of others and see what the pros. and cause were during the special period.

I was glad that everyone in the family was safe and that there were no lost or separated families through out the war. Waiting for their families, lost families have a hard time living. It is painful to know where you lovers are but not being able to meet them. If the war did not start, we would be living in a different society.

= ANALYSIS QUESTIONS = 1) How does your interviewee's testimony fit in with what you have learned about the experience of civilians? My grandparents lived near Busan so they had experienced a different situation. They did not have to leave they home, but my grandmother’s family decided to move wear her older sister was at. Even though if you decided to stay at your village, you were able to live. Though I had learned what had happened to those who lived near Seoul and the war sections, I was able to understand what had happened towards the South of Korea.

2) Using your background knowledge try to contextualize their testimony. How do you think major events of the war affected their life at the time? I believe that the war had shaped their ways of viewing North Korea and communism. According to my grandmother, the war did not affect her life as, much as those who lived near the war. Grandmother lived far away from this even so; it did not change her life as much as it did to those who were fully impacted by the war.

3) Hypothesize or explain how you interviewee was able to stay out of danger. My interviewee, Grandmother was able to stay out of danger because she lived in the safe zone section; near Busan and South of South Korea. She had also moved to her sister’s home when her family thought it would be dangerous to stay in their home. However, if her family lived near Seoul, I believe that there would have been a higher percent change of her family not being safe. My grandmothers family were making the correct moves and acting in the proper way of how someone should act when there is a war outside your window.

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