Don Meyer 학장의 한국 방문기
A Visit to Korea
Don Meyer, Ph.D.
President of Valley Forge Christian College
Part I: The Country
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” - St. Augustine
Whether it is a casual drive into the country on a Sunday afternoon or a formal trip to the other side of the world, travel changes the traveler. Sometimes the change is small. Sometimes the change is huge.
Evie and I recently traveled to Korea. We were there only four (4) days, exactly 90 hours. Yet that short visit transformed our view of the world.
Since it was our first trip to the Pacific Rim, we prepared as best we could. We researched the internet. We read books. We learned a few Korean greetings. We even had friends show us how to use chop sticks. But nothing can take the place of a visit.
A tour guide in Israel once told us that what we were about to experience there was“non-transportable.” I would also apply “non-transportable” to our Korean experience. The trip was transformational. And, over the next three weeks, I will try to share with you a sample of what transformed us. Our topics: the Country of Korea; The Cities of Korea; The People of Korea.
My first view of the country of Korea was a brief look out the airplane window at 4:00 a.m. on the day we arrived. It was the last hour of our 14 hour 55 minute non-stop Asiana Airline flight when there, far below us, I saw the lights of a village somewhere in central Korea.
The land of Korea is only 85,020 square miles or a little smaller than Pennsylvania and New York combined. The Korean Peninsula is located in North-East Asia with the Yellow Sea to the west, the East China Sea to the south, and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) to the east.
The southern and western parts of the peninsula have well-developed plains, while the eastern and northern parts are mountainous. Because the mountainous region is mostly on the eastern part of the peninsula, the main rivers tend to flow westwards.
Korea has a rich, deep history which can be traced as far back as the 3rd millennium BC. Unfortunately, there is no written history of Korea until the centuries before the birth of Christ, and that history was chronicled by Chinese scribes. Koreans refer to the Three Kingdom era (57BC—AD 668), the Shilla Kingdom (668—918AD), and the Goryea dynasty (910—1392AD).
In the centuries that followed, the land was invaded and occupied by many foreigners including the Mongols and the Chinese. The twentieth century was brutal with the numerous invasions by Japan and, of course, the invasion by North Korea during the Korean War (1950—1953). Millions of civilians died and three years of fighting throughout the nation effectively destroyed most of the cities.
Since then, however, Korea has gone through an amazing metamorphosis. Today, it is the 10th largest economy in the world. The country is booming. In one place alone in downtown Seoul I counted over 24 building cranes at one construction site. Spectacular airports, multi-lane highways and an efficient public transport system propel the Koreans forward. And they are all connected with high speed internet access and cell phones. The country exudes progress.
To capture this forward looking posture the words “Dynamic Korea” are known to everyone. The entire country is moving forward at an unusual pace. Even the way people dress and how they walk gives the impression they are on a collective mission and there is only one direction that matters and that is forward.
Miriam Beard said, “Certainly, travel is more than seeing the sights; it is a change that goes on deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” Evie and I found ourselves changed and inspired by Korea. I will tell you more next week.
Think about it.
Part II: The Cities
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes but in having new eyes.” - Marcel Proust
Our three week series on Korea continues. Last week we briefly described “The Country of Korea.” Today we will focus on the two largest cities of Korea: Seoul and Busan. Next week we will consider “The People of Korea.”
Located on Yeongjong Island, international travelers arrive at the Incheon International Airport, the transportation center for all of East Asia and the front door to Seoul.
At 6:00am the freeways are nearly empty. Forsythia and azaleas bloom along the medians. Spring arrives in April in Korea. Lighted red crosses announce the sites of churches. Off in the distance big buildings stretch their brick and mortar fingers toward the sky.
Seoul with its 10.5 million people straddles the Han River earning the title “The Miracle of the Han.” To think of Seoul is to think of the river. The past, the present, and the future squeeze against its banks.
New York City has its skyscrapers. Philadelphia has its history. St. Louis has its river. Denver has its mountains. Paris has its bridges. London has its culture. Brussels has its architecture. Nairobi has its people. Lagos has its traffic. But Seoul has them all. And more.
Getting around in the city is easy. Big busses, fast subways, efficient trains and inexpensive taxis move locals and visitors everywhere. The streets are crowded most of the time with cars and trucks made all over the world.
Small motorcycles scoot in and out of traffic as they run their urgent missions. Most sidewalks are peppered with them as their helmeted drivers run into buildings with pickups and deliveries. They seem to own Seoul. Small vendors set up their temporary stores filling every block selling everything from plants to purses.
Huge Korean signs command attention. At night their sparkles infuse the city with life. Seoul breathes 24/7. And its pulse never stops.
If you are a photographer, you want to take a million pictures. The scenery with its light and angles and shapes demands a million shots. A four gigabyte memory stick is hardly enough. Fully charged batteries quickly run down. A normal photographer with a normal camera hardly knows where to begin. Here and there and everywhere cry out, “Take my picture. No, here, take mine.” A picture of a lifetime is around every corner.
Quaint restaurants and tea houses provide indescribable flavors. Westerners could go to school on the ways most Koreans demonstrate politeness and courtesy.
The second largest city is Busan with its four and one half million people. The Bullet Train speeds there from Seoul in just over two hours. An initial glimpse of the city by the sea is enough to take anyone’s breath away. It boasts the most beautiful beaches in the country. The bridges and skyscrapers and condominiums and hotels would match any modern city in the world.
Busan is the home of Kyungsung University, a modern educational institution with 11,000 students. From the research center to the athletic center and from the classrooms to the residence halls, its students are on an obvious educational mission. From the way they dress to the way they walk, they are serious about their education. And if they represent the rest of the young people of Korea, no one would ever doubt the future of that small peninsula.
Seoul and Busan are in two very different parts of Korea but together they capture the life and vitality of a thriving nation. To touch them is to touch the future of Korea.
I agree with Pat Conroy who said, “Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.”
Seoul and Busan will forever be in our hearts. We must return.
Think about it.
Part III: The People
“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” - James Michner
Our three week series on Korea continues. Two weeks ago we briefly described “The Country of Korea.” Last week we focused on “The Cities of Korea.” Today we will share some thoughts on the People of Korea.
I do not claim to be an expert on Korea. I feel like I am trying to describe the ocean after seeing one drop. But even one drop of the ocean can tell us something about the ocean.
Although this was our first visit to Korea, it was not our first interaction with Koreans. Korean leaders serve on our Board of Trustees. We have Korean students here at VFCC. Each year the large Full Gospel New York Church (Korean) hosts a “Valley Forge Christian College Day” in Flushing, NY and we worship and fellowship with Koreans. Their pastor, Rev. Nam Soo Kim, is one of my dearest friends. But a visit to Korea has given us a whole new appreciation for our precious Korean friends.
We learned that most Westerners experience Korea through Japan. Most travelers have gone to Japan and from there to Korea and from there to China. For nationals in Korea, however, cultural influences came from China to them and from them to Japan.
We learned that in China, chop sticks are plastic; in Korea the chop sticks are steel; in Japan the chop sticks are wood. Koreans eat raw fish and steel chop sticks are healthier.
We learned many things about the Korean people which enhanced the perceptions we already had from our Korean friends. They are extremely industrious and hardworking. Korea was decimated by the Korean War and to go from that destruction to a booming economy in just over 50 years can only come about through hard work. I don’t think I have ever seen a lazy Korean.
Another word I would use to describe Korea is clean. I have never seen such clean cities. We saw two elderly ladies (volunteers) sweeping a sidewalk in a local park. Everywhere we saw people cleaning windows and picking up trash and tidying up. At Ewah University we saw a woman literally on her hands and knees washing the steps.
And how can I ever describe the evidence of creativity. From the architecture to the transportation system and from the lights to the furniture, Koreans are creating a whole new world. We even saw their creative ‘pass card’ which they use for donations to worthy causes.
Perhaps the most striking feature of Koreans is their gift of hospitality. We westerners have much to learn from the way Koreans host their guests. This has always been obvious with our Korean-American friends but we learned that this gracious trait was not unique with them. It is imbedded in the entire Korean culture.
We were deeply moved by their gentle temperament. Each greeting included respectful bowing, unique eye contact and hand shaking. Koreans also give great honor to their elders.
We learned a few greetings in Korean. “An Neong Ha Seh Yo” (Hello), “Kam Sa-Ham Nee Da” (Thank You), “Chan Man A O” (You are welcome) helped us feel slightly connected to the culture.
The Korean Christians are also known for their fervent praying. I spoke to a group of seminary students and the sounds of their fervent prayers still echo in my soul.
We did not travel alone. Our delegation included dear Korean friends who are dearer now then before our trip.
We would agree with Maya Angelou who said, “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”
Think about it.
