The Korea War

Sol Choi

11/05/13

Final draft

The Korean War

If I say, “I am from Korea” people usually ask me “South or north?” because Korea is one of the few divided countries in the world. People may know that Korea is a divided country, but people don’t know why Korea had to divide during the Korea war. In 1950, Korea had a war between the north and south. At the end of the war, the country was divided with North Korea. Therefore, at end of the war, many families were separated and some have not found their family until now. Even though the war ended many years ago, but Korea war is still influence to my family and Koreans.

One effect of the war is that a lot of Korean have not found family by the war. During the war, a lot of refugees lost their families, and they are still trying to find family until these days but find to family is difficult. In 1950, my grandmother was a 17 years old, and her older sister was a 19 years old. My grandmother and her sister were refugees in the war. When they flee to South from North they had to separate each other by the war. Also my grandmother is still waiting for her sister and trying to find her sister. Every few years, the Korea government makes that search campaigns for separated families and a lot of people participate the campaigns. Thus, try to find my grandmother’s sister is difficult. However, if people who lost family in the war and find family at the campaigns, people cannot call to the family because North Korea is not same country anymore.

Another effect of the war is that men who lives in Korea require go to army for a year and half. There is a mandatory draft in Korea. Actually, the war is not really overt finished, it was stopped, and men have to be ready for the war every day. Every Korean male who become a twenty years old is required go to army, even a famous people and student. In my family, my brother is going to go army in next year because he is going to become a twenty years old in next year. Also my mom is worry about it because when my brother go to army my mom cannot see him for a long time. Fortunately, there has not been countries war, but Koreans always have to be ready for the war while they living in Korea.

In addition, another effect of the war is Koreans always put up the flag on the window on June 25^th. Actually, Korea has a lot of holiday even small holiday like valentine day. However, on June 25^th is biggest holiday and sad day, because many people passed away during the war. Koreans always put up the flag on window because Koreans want to remember and pray for a lot of people who was sacrificed by the war. In fact, my grandfather participated the war, and he died during the battle. Every year on June 25^th my father and mother always put up the flag and prays for their father.

In conclusion, the war is still pretant in Korean daily life. However, Korean pray that the country can recover quickly and forget the pain suffered in the war. I wish that the government would make a lot of search separate family campaign. This year, the search separate family is going to start, and I hope that my grandmother will find her sister this time.