79. BORDERS en KIMCHI

BORDERS en KIMCHI

Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano

04 November 2018

Twelve years ago, the Philippine Government through the National Youth Commission (NYC) headed by Chairman Richard Alvin M. Nalupta sent me to lead a four-man official Philippine delegation to the 17^th International Youth Forum (IYF) held from July 20 to 27, 2006 at Seoul and Gyeong-ju, South Korea. With the theme “A World Without Borders: United Nations Millennium Development Goals and Youth Participation”, 74 participants from 22 ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) countries assembled and discussed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), youth challenges to achieving MDGs and solidarity for global sustainability in MDGs. The forum consisted of lectures, group discussions, activities to facilitate group development, cultural exchanges, and study trips in Seoul and Gyeong-ju introducing us to Korean history and culture. We were able to explore the theme of MDGs; expand our awareness on global issues such as poverty and hunger, human rights, and access to education; and generate ideas for our contributions to the goals. The IYF is an event for promoting international awareness and friendship among young people, organized annually since 1990 by the National Council of Youth Organizations in Korea. The 2006 forum was co-hosted by the National Youth Commission (NYC) Korea and the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) in cooperation with the International Workcamp Organization (IWO), World Assembly of Youth (WAY) and the Asia Youth Council (AYC).

Aside from history and culture, we also had a taste of Korean food especially the kimchi. A staple in Korean cuisine, kimchi, is a traditional side dish made from salted and fermented vegetables, most commonly napa cabbage and Korean radishes, with a variety of seasonings, including gochugaru (chili powder), scallions, garlic, ginger, and jeotgal (salted seafood). The net further reveals that there are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with different vegetables as the main ingredients. In the past, kimchi was traditionally stored underground in jars to keep cool during warm months, and remain unfrozen throughout the winter months, during which time it was a vital source of vegetables. With the rise of technology, kimchi refrigerators are more commonly used to store kimchi. After twelve years, I was able to taste the spicy hot kimchi in downtown Seoul in my everyday meal for four days.

I am back in the Korean peninsula and this time I made sure to visit one of the most controversial spots in the world. Relating to the 2006 IYF theme “A World Without Borders”, I decided yesterday to visit the “border” of North and South Korea at the 38^th parallel known to tourists as the Demilitarized Zone or DMZ, a weapons-free buffer zone between North and South Korea. The area was established on July 27, 1953 when the Armistice Agreement was signed during the Korean War and includes the two kilometer-wide stretch of land both north and south of the line. The DMZ extends largely from Gyeonggi-do to Gangwon-do, including seven different cities and smaller counties of Paju, Yeoncheon, Cheorwon, Hwacheon, Yanggu, Inje and Goseong. The zone has been protected from human disturbance for about six decades and has unintentionally become a haven for wildlife, making it a popular destination for nature lovers.

Since I belonged in a package tour, we were brought to different tourists destinations around the DMZ. My favorite was the Third Infiltration Tunnel. Since November 15, 1974, South Korea has discovered four tunnels crossing the DMZ that had been dug by North Korea which they claimed that the tunnels were for coal mining; however, no coal was found in the tunnels, which were dug through granite. Some of the tunnel walls were painted black to give the appearance of anthracite. Discovered on October 17, 1978 following a tip from a North Korean defector, the third tunnel is 1,635 meters long with a height and width of two meters. It is estimated that over 30,000 soldiers would have been able to pass through the tunnel in just one hour. I inched my way 73 meters below ground using a sloped access shaft designed for foreign visitors until I reached the dead end where tourist are no longer allowed to go further. The DMZ has become an all inclusive tourist attraction, with a DMZ video hall, representative sculptures, gift shops and more.

Bilateral relations between South Korea and the Philippines were established on March 3, 1949 upon the recognition of Republic of Korea as a sovereign state by the Philippines. The Philippines was the fifth state to recognize the Republic of Korea and the first ASEAN country to establish relations with South Korea. The Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) was the Philippine Army contingent of the United Nations forces that fought in the Korean War (1950–1953). The unit arrived in Korea in August 1950. It was composed of 1,468 troops and was the fifth largest force under the United Nations Command. The PEFTOK took part in the Battle of Yultong and the Battle of Hill Eerie. The unit operated alongside the United States 1^st  Cavalry Division, 3^rd Infantry Division, 25^th Infantry Division and 45^th Infantry Division. Prominent Filipinos who fought in the Korean War were: Gen. Fidel V. Ramos (who would later become the 12^th President of the Philippines), Maj. Gen. Fortunato Abat (1925-2018; who would become the 20^th Secretary of National Defense) and Capt. Emilio S. Liwanag (1911-1967).

The fighting ended on July 27, 1953, when an armistice was signed. The agreement created the DMZ and allowed the return of prisoners. However, no peace treaty was ever signed, and according to some sources the two Koreas are technically still at war, engaged in a frozen conflict. In April 2018, the leaders of North and South Korea met at the demilitarized zone and agreed to sign a treaty by the end of the year to formally end the Korean War. On October 26, 2018, ten days ago, South Korean Maj. Gen. Kim Do-gyun and North Korean Lt. Gen. An Ik San met in Tongilgak, a North Korean building located within the DMZ's Joint Security Area (JSA), implementing new protocols which aims to reduce tension by, among other things, requiring both North and South Korea to destroy 22 guard posts across the DMZ. On November 1, 2018, three days ago, buffer zones were established across the DMZ by the North and South Korean militaries. In compliance with the Comprehensive Military Agreement which was signed at the September 2018 inter-Korean summit, the buffer zone helps ensure that both North and South Korea will effectively ban hostility on land, air, and sea.

Korea never fails to amaze me with its rich history, tradition and its people. The Korean wave (hallyu) plays a big influence among Filipino millennials who are exposed to the different kinds and genres of music, television dramas and also in their taste of fashion and food. Our world has become smaller and smaller. “Borders” are no longer significant when it comes to culture, the arts, communications and information technology. Only political borders remain a sensitive issue among nations.