You've already seen the kim chee dining videos from Saturday's trip to the mountains surrounding Pyeongtaek, but not to the trip beforehand. In the morning of April 18, Global Network and GPPAC had its respective business meetings, but in the afternoon, the Pyeongtaek Peace Center had a special trip planned for us. We went to the Morin gate of what is officially known as the Songtan Air Base, but which the U.S. Air Force has re-named Osan Air Force Base. Locals are demonstrating agains
t the expansion of runways at the base, and the placement of batteries of PAC-3 missiles.Two conference attendees I didn't get the chance to meet until Saturday were Viktoria and Vadim from Vladivostok (no, I couldn't make that kind of alliterative stuff up). Activists in Russia's Far East have been very aware of Pacific Rim struggles on both the military and on environmental issues, and it's always fun to meet folks from there. Viktoria is on the left in this shot, Vadim is on the right, and immediately to Vadim's left is Marte Hellema of GPPAC - between Viktoria and Marte is a woman I never met, named Mari perhaps?
After the protest, Kang Sang-Won led us on a guided tour of the base perimeter, where we left the bus and took a series of small vans so we could navigate the one-lane fishing roads. We saw the small villages that had been removed to make room for airfields, and the batteries of PAC-3 missiles that had been moved in to prepare for the potential North Korean assaults that obsess the minds of military planners. The continuous expansion plans at the base make it obvious the work that locals confront.
Since I had to leave Sunday, I couldn't participate in the trip to Mugeon-ri, where farmers have been displaced from rice fields because of the U.S. efforts to expand the Mugeon-ri Military Training Fields in order to test the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Bruce Gagnon has pictures and information about his trip here.
5 comments:
The things we do for "progress." It sounds like you had a very informative and active time in Korea. What is the biggest "wow" or "I wonder" you come away from Korea with?
Well, I guess one obvious thing is that South Korea has become such an advanced country, reunification has almost become a burden, particularly as the North Korean economy has collapsed over the last decade. Emotionally, everyone wants to see reunification, but it almost seems like there would be few upsides to South Korea taking on the efforts of making the North viable again.
What an exciting life you lead Loring-- it makes my enclosed life in the Chateau seem very mundane. What memories you will have when you are too old to trot around the world......
Oh, it's not always like this, Delphine, I swear - this spring has been very unusual.
I thought I was starting with the first post about Korea, but I see I am at Day 3. I'll backtrack.
I felt proud of humans for gathering like this, from the far reaches of the planet, in common cause. Cultural differences aside. And to hear the Australian talking on video about the gifts - I was just touched that there is the bond among you all in this common goal. Thank you, Loring, for this good work.
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