After a first world cup qualifying game between North and South Korea that ended 0:0 in Shanghai - on neutral grounds - tonight's game in the Seoul World Cup Stadium ended in exactly the same way. This time, the game didn't take place on neutral grounds and both anthems were played. Some 50'000 South Koreans and 500 North Koreans in the audience cheered for both teams. It seems quite remarkable that the people of the two countries that are technically still at war try to emphasize a "friendly game" much more than others - probably going as far as a silent agreement not to score any goals. With something as emotional as soccer, anything else might cause social unrest and compromise the peace agreement efforts.
21 years ago exactly on the same day, 10 June 1987, massive protests in South Korea overthrew and forced the government to adopt the democratic system as it is today. Today, on the 21st anniversary, a seemingly minor issue is causing a storm that could toss the country into its severest STATE CRISIS in decades. It started seemingly harmless with a handful of protesters against the US beef import agreement that President Lee Myung-bak struck in April to improve stricken relationships. Probably Mr. Lee would never have thought this would turn into the big matter it is today. (Photo: www.ohmynews.com) Hundred thousands of protesters gathered in the streets of Seoul for a candlelight vigil tonight, requesting the President’s resignation. The whole city center, spanning from Gwanghamun to Nandaemun, was flooded with candlelight protesters who came from all over the country to Seoul that evening. The cabinet under Prime Minister Han Seung-soo offered its resignation that day. However, it seems like President Lee isn’t planning to step down. Instead, he expressed his intention to offer Mr. Han’s post to Mrs. Park Geun-hye, daughter of former President Park Chung-hee. In light of a gloomy economy, high oil prices, fear of inflation and stagnant financial markets, political instability is the last thing South Korea should be wishing for.
My Korean class took place in the evening in the middle of all the turmoil, just next to City Hall. It was a peaceful demonstration accompanied by music and countless food stands on the roadside. I made it home safely – although it wasn’t easy to squeeze through all the masses of candlelight holders.
One of the highlights I would count to my best-of experiences I made in Korea awaited us on the long weekend over Memorial Day. During a Swiss Raclette dinner at the Deputy Swiss Ambassador’s residence we met Louis Palmer, the constructing engineer of the world’s first solar car prototype named “Solartaxi” that travelled 26 countries in the world so far. Listening to his exciting stories, we came up with the idea that this exceptional pioneer and his crew should definitely pay a visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas. So we gave him the contact of one of the Swiss Army members we know who is stationed in the DMZ to serve for the NNSC (Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission).
Only two days later we met Louis and two of his crew members by chance in the street (think about the chance of that - greater Seoul has around 20 million inhabitants - it must have been fate!). He told us that the DMZ tour guided by the Swiss Army Major General was arranged and offered us to join him and his crew - since we were the ones who made it possible for him in the first place. So there we were at 7:00am on a Saturday morning, waiting at Imjingak station, the closest station to the DMZ on the South Korean side. As there was still some time left, Ossi and I got the opportunity to drive the Solartaxi by ourselves, which was a real fun experience and a very special feeling. This car has travelled thousands of miles around the world, powered by nothing else than just sunlight!
Living up to their reputation, the Swiss Army delegation arrived right on time. Major General Joss and Captain Visseur took us in their cars over the Unification Bridge into the DMZ. Once we entered that area, we felt like entering a different world - probably that's how Korea looked like half a century ago. Soldiers driving around in jeeps, check points, heavy controls, long barbwires, war armaments... We had to hand in our passports and got a NNSC Guest badge instead.
Normally there is no Major General in the Swiss Army during peace times, but as the two Koreas are officially still at war, the one and only Swiss Army Major General in the world is stationed at the DMZ. General Joss was relocated last year in November and replaced former General Brügger who served here since end of 2004. I was the lucky one who got to sit in the General's car. We got to see places where normally only military members are admitted, and places where no photos are allowed - sorry guys, can't post them here ;-)
After a short, but juicy presentation by General Joss about the DMZ, the Korean War and the NNSC we were invited to an authentic Swiss breakfeast with Birchermüesli and Caotina chocolate milk - and that in the best (and only ;-)) restaurant in the DMZ, which is located in the Swiss-Swedish NNSC building. I was so excited since I haven't had a real Swiss breakfast ever since I arrived in Korea. Although the Korean lady who served us was completely confused when I insisted so much on my hot milk to have my Caotina.
After an extensive breakfast we were granted a tour around the area. On the other side of the long barbwire, a North Korean watchtower with a guard could be seen. At one point, there is a blue bridge which connects the North and the South side by a so called Joint Security Area (JSA), where regular meetings between North and South Korean forces are held. Once in a while there are defectors from North Korea who make it to the South. The families of these defectors, however, are most probably facing reprisals as a vengeance, things we cannot even imagine in our worst dreams. Thoughts like that give you the chills when you walk down the road along the barbwire and look at "the other side".
It's hard to imagine for us how things must have been when North and South forces were killing each other for over 2 years at exactly the same spot where we were standing, causing a death toll of some estimated 4 million lives and not getting any further on either side. The subsequent Armistice in 1953 was the birth of the NNSC, which at that time also included Czechoslovakia and Poland (but they pulled out in the 1990s). The main task of the NNSC is to supervise the adherence to the Armistice.
It's an incredible thought that these two countries have theoretically been at war ever since. Even more incredible is the immensely divergent development of the two countries. What many people do not know is that South Korea was worse off than their northern neighbor before the war. Today, South Korea's GDP per capita lies at USD 21'000 a year, whereas estimates of USD 900 for North Korea are already on the optimistic side. Efforts to come closer have started under the era of former president Kim Dae Jung, known under the term sunshine policy. The industrial complex run mainly by South Korean companies in the North Korean city Kaesong pay USD 75 for each worker a month, but only USD 15 go into the worker's pocket, the rest is for the North Korean government. Taking this as a reference the GDP per capita is in reality probably closer to USD 300 than 900.
At the end of our guided tour, General Joss and Captain Visseur took seat in the Solartaxi. Louis Palmer couldn't have been more lucky with the timing of the marketing of his solar mobile. Shortly before we started our tour, oil prices on Wallstreet soared to an all-time high of over USD 138 per barrel. We hope for this visionary to be immensely successful with his technology in the very near future.
Demonstrations are plentiful in South Korea, and these last few days they were literally flooding the city of Seoul. The reason is that people object to the US beef import agreement by the new president, Lee Myung-bak, who only took office in February this year. (The photo here was taken by Louis Palmer, the Swiss protagonist of Solartaxi, who happens to be in Seoul at the moment. I will write more about him since we will have the chance to travel with this adventurer soon). Link to Solartaxi If you ask Koreans why they are against the import, the first answer is they fear BSE, or mad cow disease since the US beef imports are allegedly not controlled by any official state inspection institution. In fact, one of my colleagues said she would never eat beef again, ever (and so far, she kept that promise - I'm wondering for how long). A closer inquiry, though, also reveals quite some protectionist motives (Korean beef is more expensive, but it is allegedly also of higher quality and the healthier meat), and if you discuss even further, it turns out that people take this welcome opportunity to manifest their disapproval for the current president. People are wearing two kinds of T-shirts at the demo: One says "I didn't vote for Lee Myung-bak!" and the other one "I'm sorry I voted for Lee Myung-bak!" Approval rates for Mr. Lee have plummeted to some 21%, while he was voted by almost half of the voting population at the elections in December last year. Official apologies for not having consulted the public opinion didn't help - especially because the deal was still struck with the US. It is astonishing how matters like this can take on such dynamics. It shows how important it is to understand public emotions, even if they are irrational. If Mr. Lee is unlucky, this incident will thwart the rest of his presidency - in the worst case leading to his resignation.
After a first world cup qualifying game between North and South Korea that ended 0:0 in Shanghai - on neutral grounds - tonight's game in the Seoul World Cup Stadium ended in exactly the same way. This time, the game didn't take place on neutral grounds and both anthems were played.
Some 50'000 South Koreans and 500 North Koreans in the audience cheered for both teams. It seems quite remarkable that the people of the two countries that are technically still at war try to emphasize a "friendly game" much more than others - probably going as far as a silent agreement not to score any goals. With something as emotional as soccer, anything else might cause social unrest and compromise the peace agreement efforts.
