Home » Japan South Korea » Southern Japan and South Korea

“See China right in front of you? (Bono)
“You will be the same person in ten years as you are today, apart from the books you read and the people you meet? (anon.) [I don’t really agree with this one, but it is an interesting thought]

Southern Japan and South Korea

Rob Lilwall
2007-12-01 14:37:07

Displayed times (last time: )

village which lies exactly on the border - and into the hut where occasional negotiations between the two sides take place. Ever so briefly we were allowed to stand in North Korea. We also visited the infiltration tunnels built from the North, which were fortunately discovered before they were used to mount a surprise invasion. There are thought to be at least nine more undiscovered tunnels.

The propaganda battle raged around us all day. There is a flagpoles contest in progress with the North Korean flagpole, over 150 meters tall, said to be the winner. The more overt propaganda is being gradually turned down... until last year the North Koreans used speakers to blast out news of paradise in their Communist utopia... the South Koreans beamed messages written in light onto the night sky proclaiming "WE HAVE RICE?. Of course, everything I am writing is based on propaganda from the South. I do wonder what life is really like just 50 km north of here... but, quite strangely in this age of information, no one seems to really know. I found it all quite moving - how would I feel if my own country was split down the middle by the wars of giants - and northerners in England suddenly became my deadly enemies? On this journey I have now visited the Gulags of Siberia, an atomic target in Japan and the civil war focus of Korea. What is the next place of mourning...? Homo est lupi homini (man is a wolf to man, I think).

On a more positive note, I was intrigued to experience the churches of Korea. In Japan it was not unusual for me to walk into a service attended by less than 10 (or even 5) people. The Yoido Full Gospel church in Seoul, meanwhile, holds seven services each Sunday, with each of these attended by 32,000 people (on the central campus alone). It is still growing at an extraordinary rate and amazingly well organized - the bread and wine was distributed in under 5 minutes. Whilst in England it is a miracle to find all church seats full, in Korea, it seems, it is a miracle to find a seat empty. Of course, such mega churches have their critics, and theories abound as to the reasons for their growth. Personally, I have found my time spent with Korean Christians richly heartening.

As I now brace myself for China, I have been trying to lighten the load I carry on the bike. After posting home my cold weather gear, my main extra burden seems to be books! At one point in Japan I was carrying nineteen books, and although at times I manage to read and pass them on, I just keep gathering more again... I have still not had the guts to start my one kilogram tome which is "war and peace? (carried from Siberia)... perhaps the life of a lonely cyclist is not quite such joyful simplicity as I had thought!

"Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you need: a homely home and simple pleasures; one or two friends (worth the name); someone to love and someone to love you; a cat, a dog and a pipe or two; enough to eat and enough to wear; and a little more than enough to drink... for thirst is a dangerous thing.?
(Jerome K Jerome, 3 men in a boat)