Saturday, June 25, 2005

6 2 5

I've completely missed out on the Yu-Gi-Oh fad. Whenever I see or hear the term, I always think of today, June 25, known to Koreans as yuk-i-oh, six-two-five, pronounced "yu-gi-o."

On June 25, 1950, the Korean War began. My mother was 7 years old, and she still has nightmares about it. The war shattered millions of lives and the country was a smoking ruin when the war ended in July of 1953. Mom lost two brothers.

In the decades that followed, the South Koreans built their country back up into something truly magnificent. While it's easy for us expats to complain about aspects of South Korean life that don't satisfy us, it's advisable to put difficulties into perspective and marvel at how far South Korea has come.

June 25th isn't a day of celebration, but it is a day of remembrance.


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