Korean+War+Interview+Project+Jay+Park+B+Block

=KOREAN WAR INTERVIEW JAY P. =

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
1.Please introduce your name, age, occupation, and family relations. 성함, 나이, 직업 과 가족들에 대해서 말해주세요.

2.When the Korean war broke out, how old were you? 한국전쟁이 일어났을때 나이가 어떻게 되셨나요?

3.Where were you when the war started? 전쟁이 일어났을때 어디에 계셨나요?

4.What happened to your family when the war began? 전쟁이 터졌을때 가족에게는 어떤 일이 일어났나요?

5.How did you get enlisted into the army? 어떻게 입대하시게 됬나요?

6.Where, and how long did you serve in the military? How did you feel about it? 어디서 얼마나 오래 군대에 계셨나요?

7.How did you feel about the UN troops coming in? Around when was this? 유엔지원군이 왔을때 기분이 어땠나요?

8.If you did, how did you learn English? What motivated you? 영어를 더 배우게 됬나요?

9.What were the conditions for soldiers like? 군인들은 어떤 환경에서 있었나요?

10.What are some of the memorable moments from the war? 전쟁에서 기억나든 일들이 뭐가 있나요?

11.Do you still keep in contact with any surviving troop members 혹시 살아계신 참전군들과 연락 하시나요?

12.What perceptions do you have about the North Koreans? How about the South Koreans? 남한과 북한에대해 어떻게 생각하시나요?

13.What do you think about reunifying Korea? Is it possible at at? How long do you think it will take if possible? 남북통일에 대해 어떻게 생각하시나요? 통일이 된다면 얼마나 오래 걸릴것 같은가요?

14.Is there anything I haven't asked about that you think I should know? 혹시 더 말씀하시고 싶으신거 있나요?

PODCAST (original full version)
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SUMMARY PODCAST
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ESSAY
남침전(nam chim jeon) “War Started by the North" Historians often use primary sources from the past to analyze and learn about perspectives of many different sides. The historical significance of this interview is that it gives direct evidence from a South Korean war refugee who later fought in the Korean War. Since this is a primary source document, no fabrication or bias was added by publishing industries unlike some history textbooks. Direct testimonies will help present accurate information for future learners who wish to discover more about the Korean War. My grandfather provided information about the life of a war refugee, the life of a South Korean soldier, and how he views the divided peninsular today. As a South Korean war refugee, my grandfather realized the military asymmetry between South Korea and North Korea. At the beginning of the war, when the well-equipped North Korean army marched in with tanks and infantries, the South Korean military hardly owned any proper tanks. He witnessed himself a powerful, black North Korean tank in Jong-Ro that took over the city of Seoul in an incredibly quick amount of time. His story as a refugee also aided my acknowledgement of the hardships people face during war times. Massive famines and war casualties, including the losses of families and friends, were seen in a daily basis with no exception to innocent civilians. By the time when the North Koreans were ousted from Seoul, my grandfather enlisted himself into the army to fight for his nation. As he was battling the combined forces of North Korea and China, he issued feelings about the UN aid. As the foreign support of soldiers and supplies arrived from the UN, my grandfather deeply appreciated them from his heart. He claimed that without the UN international help, South Korea would have become a “red commies” country. The last inquiry was considering the idea of re-unification of the Koreas. And as a soldier who participated in the war, my grandfather displayed some dislike towards the country of North Korea. He believed that the series of hereditary Stalinist dictatorship completely isolated the North Korean citizens from the rest of the world. Additionally, he indicated that the government of North Korea have been thoroughly brainwashing its people by inputting anti-american and anti-capitalistic ideas, ruining the hope of unification even further. The interviewee mainly discussed about his accounts and opinions about the Korean war, which derived from his direct participation in it. Thus his personal stories and thoughts hold much historical significance and can be an educational experience for all of us.

ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
1) How does your interviewee's testimony fit in with what you have learned about the experience of civilians?
 * My interviewee’s testimony corresponded almost completely with what our class learned about the experience of civilians during the Korean War. According to my grandfather, it was hard to distinguish a North Korean soldier from a normal person because the soldiers dressed up as commoners. And that was one of the reasons why so many people were inaccurately shot to death when they crossed the Han River bridge. The fact that the North Korean army destroyed bridges along the Han river also was true in my grandfather’s testimony. Bridges like those in Yangsuri were knocked down by the North Koreans to hinder communication and transportation. The experience of my grandfather was very similar to the material we learned in class.

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?
 * As we know from our studies of the Korean War, my grandfather witnessed preposterous atrocities, innocent civilian deaths, and detrimental famines during the Korean War. He most likely learned the lesson that staying alive is the most important matter during a time of chaos. For instance, when refugees were halted from crossing the Han River bridges, they faced immediate, basic challenges to life such as food, and shelter. In fact, my grandfather lives a very ascetic lifestyle without much luxury even to the present day. He got used to the habit/lifestyle he got from the Korean War days when he spent the least amount of goods possible and saved up all his values for the future possible mishaps.

3) Hypothesize or explain how you interviewee was able to stay out of danger.
 * My grandfather was excused from the forced recruitment of South Korean military because he was categorized as a physically weak person. And therefore he became a war refugee and he moved around South Korea to avoid North Korean invasions. First he stayed at his relative’s home at Kangwon-do for a month. Yet when that place did not seem like a safe place to be, my grandfather started to hide in the deep forest mountains for a while. And by the time when the North Koreans were out of Seoul, my grandfather enlisted himself into the army to fight for his nation. This did not ensure him to stay out of danger, since he was now fighting against the combined forces of North Korea and China. But he still ended up keeping his life safe from the bloody battlefields.