Protest or Call to Remembrance?

I still don't know the answer to that question, and have only my 'best guess'...

On Saturday afternoon I found myself wandering fairly aimlessly around Seoul once again when I bumped into these well decked-out young men... (riot gear constitutes a 'well decked-out' man this year, doesn't it?). Some might walk the other way but I think they're (mostly) pretty cute, and I wanted to know what was happening!

Now if you click on the picture and look at it enlarged (especially if you're my mom!) you'll likely get to wondering where the heck I was and what I was mucking about in, but let me assure you they're pretty harmless... see how they don't even have their gear 'on,' they're just waiting around with it? Had there been tension in the air maybe I'd have had different thoughts, but I'm always interested to know what's going on when they're in the vicinity. You always find them with bus after bus after bus lined up, and young police officers carrying full riot gear standing round in huge packs, of course I get curious!

I happened to be across the street from Seoul Station, one of the major transportation hubs in the city. At first I wondered if some kind of threat had been called in to the station, but I hadn't been redirected out of the subway tunnels earlier in the day so that probably wasn't the case. Next I wondered if there was some kind of angry union protest (that happens and gets this kind of response!) so I decided to go for a walk and see what I could find out!

This was taken once the majority of people had cleared out, but you can see the men on the stage in red and white... they were leading the rally...

Across the very big intersection on the steps of the station there were a few hundred people banging inflated red tubes together making an awful racket while a few strangely dress men on a stage were yammering (i.e. speaking too loudly and quickly for me to understand them!) into the microphone. There was much yelling and cheering from the crowd, and it seemed to be some kind of rally rather than a protest. It did not have an angry feel to it, and the officers attending were quite relaxed while they stood in their lines, so I didn't think I had anything to worry about by heading in to check it out.

Once I made my way through the three columns of young officers on the other side of the street (most of them hardly a day over 18 if there were that) I saw a bunch of boards and photos set up with flags from a lot of countries waving over top. The crowd on the other side of the boards was yelling and cheering, making a lot of noise while I wandered through taking it all in.

The photos were taken during the Korean war in the early 1950s. This June (on the 25th) is the 60th year anniversary of the start of the war. The photos showed so many things, bombed cities, destroyed landmarks and monuments, wounded soldiers, children playing, women and children scavenging from piles of rubble, planes flying overhead seemingly prepared to drop bombs themselves, god only knows where they were taken... As I wandered through the display (which was done in English and Korean) I couldn't help the tears that came to my eyes and the tightness that comes with deep sorrow as I witnessed by photo-replay a nation torn apart by war, so much destroyed, and so many others coming to its aid and therein suffering right alongside...

"In early Spring 1951 a young US marine soldier found a moment of quiet and solitude in order to offer up a prayer for the peace of mind and safety of himself and his comrades. War was a very difficult thing for this young fellow; to fight and kill other human beings even though they are enemy people. People in Korea should remember and honor those who risked, gave and sacrificed their lives to protect a country, Rebulic of Korea and its people which they might never knew or had even heard of."

If I thought it would really allow me to share the feeling of the moment with you maybe I would have taken more photos, but really I was too caught up in the experience itself and can leave you with only these images, which do really no justice to the content, as you can imagine...

Namdaemun Gate after an attack

"A Canadian soldier who wounded during the combat had a help from a US soldier. All United Nations Forces cooperated together in order to rescue Republic of Korea and its people from the Communist attack during the Korean War. June 25, 1950 ~ July 27, 1953"

"Purpose of the photo display: Publication of real history; Importance of the Alliance Policy; A Responsible and Proud Country; Inspiriation and Hope for the Future."

"The people of the Republic of Korea are still remembering the action and dedication of the 68 countries who helped and supported the Republic of Korea during the Korean War."

Grateful to have been raised in and come from a peaceful nation...