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North Korean Soccer Team Fined by FIFA

FIFA today fined the North Korean soccer team for the conduct of their fans during a recent match in Pyongyang.

The recent riot at the Kim Il-sung Stadium in Pyongyang cost North Korea and its soccer fans dearly. During the game against Iran, angry North Korean players shoved the referee. Disappointed fans hurled bottles and rocks on the field after their appeals for a penalty were turned down. Soldiers and the public security forces moved in to suppress the public unrest so uncharacteristic of this communist state.

After the game, the angry mob for two hours was preventing Iran’s bus from leaving the stadium. The Stadium, which is believed to be sacred for every citizen, has been vandalized. The common belief that the public order in North Korea is fully controlled by the state has been shaken.

For these actions North Korean soccer was fined the following:

The final stage of the 2006 World Cup preliminary competition does look dramatic for North Korea. The DPRK Football Association will be fined by FIFA and the next “home game” will be moved from North Korea to be played on a neutral ground and behind closed doors. When FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision was announced a month later, many named it unfair and cruel.

The currency-hungry state is forfeiting the equivalent of $16,800 in penalty. It will also lose hundreds of foreign guests and journalists who planned to visit Pyongyang on June 8, 2005, and miss the advantage over the rival team who are not accustomed to the artificial grass on the Kim Il-sung Stadium.

It this punishment fair for North Korea? Heck they were just acting like soccer hooligan fans in Europe. I like the reasoning of this editorial though:

In handling this incident, one should not forget the FIFA’s motto of fair play. The Disciplinary Committee’s decision has been made with consideration of safety for players, coaching staff, audience, and the fairness of the game in general. The North Koreans have failed to provide the safe environment during the match against Iran, a friendly state which is often grouped with the DPRK for its nuclear ambitions. What should we expect from the game where both states are technically at war with each other? The issues of kidnappings, territorial dispute, and history books may easily overshadow the atmosphere of international sport festival.

If North Korean fans treat a fellow “Axis of Evil” nation like this, how should FIFA expect North Korean fans to behave if the Japanese were to beat them in Pyongyang? I would have to agree it is a safety issue and probably a good decision by FIFA.

Decision to Drop the Nuclear Bomb on Japan

Plunge has put together a great series of posts about the use of atomic weapons against Japan by the US during World War II. Here is a summary of the article:

Dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and then Nagasaki ended the war with Japan and saved millions of lives, both Allied and Japanese. The bombing of these two cities forced a surrender that was nearly unfathomable to the military leaders in Japan at the time. If it wasn’t for the atomic bomb, the US likely would have been forced into a long, deadly struggle to end the war with Japan, a struggle that might have been far too long and difficult for the American public to have accepted. While Japan would still have most likely surrendered, in my opinion, it would have been a negotiated surrender that would have meant more war in the future.

Read the entire series that validates the above summary.

My thoughts have always been that World War II was a conflict that was fought with the “Total War” doctrine where the bombing of cities was justifiable to break national will power to gain “Total Victory”. After World War I no total victory was ever achieved which led to World War II. If the Japanese had not surrendered and just negotiated an end to the war who is to say they wouldn’t just rearm and 15 years later start fighting again which would take more lives?

I visited the Atomic Bomb Memorial in Hiroshima 4 years ago and it makes the US look really barbaric for nuking Hiroshima. They parade all the school children into there to indoctrinate them about why the US was wrong for nuking Japan. Seeing the pictures of all the melted bodies on display the kids looked at me like I was some kind of devil. No mention is made at the memorial about the US rational for using nuclear weapons or the mention that Japan started the war to begin with.

After the battles to take Iwo Jima and Okinawa it was becoming very clear that any battle to take over the Japanese home island would cost many American lives. The nuclear bombing was a way to get Japan to surrender without having to endure heavy US casualties. When I was in college I actually debated this point with a Japanese classmate who countered that the US should of nuked a nearby coastline to display the might of the atomic weapon. The display of the power of the atomic weapon would have surely caused the militarists to surrender. That is probably what the Japanese educational system taught him as kid as he toured the A-bomb Memorial. I countered his claim by simply stating that nuking Hiroshima didn’t get the Japanese to surrender. It took two nukes to get Japan to surrender. They didn’t get the message after one nuclear bombing what would have a display of the power of a nuclear bomb have done? Plus the US only had two operational nuclear bombs at the time. They couldn’t afford to expend one on a show of force. I always felt that if the US was so barbaric and just looking to kill people the US could of just as easily nuked Tokyo or Kyoto. Instead the US chose smaller, militarily significant cities to hit. So in short yes it was right to use nuclear weapons in that conflict.

However, this topic gets me thinking to why didn’t the US just nuke Pyongyang and Beijing during the Korean War to break the North Korean and Chinese will to fight. The Korean War wasn’t fought by the “Total War” doctrine which General MacArthur was used to playing by during World War II. The Cold War and the creation of nuclear weapons had made the “Total War” doctrine obsolete because the amount of destruction that would result on both sides would make any war to costly to wage.

General MacArthur couldn’t learn to play by the new “Limited War” Doctrine and was ultimately fired by Harry Truman because of it. The use of nuclear weapons during the Korean War had the possibility of bringing the Russians into the war which the US did not want to have happen. A combined fight against the Chinese and Russians in the mountains of Korea was the wrong war at the wrong time for the US. Preventing World War III was determined to be more important than achieving Total Victory.

History has shown that Truman was right and the “Limited War” doctrine did prevent World War III but the lack of Total Victory during the Korean War continues to cause problems here on the peninsula to this day and probably for many years to come.

US Denies Secretary of State Going to Pyongyang

The Korea Times is reporting that the US is not planning to send Secretary Rice to North Korea.

Washington denied Tuesday a news report that North Korea has invited U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Pyongyang for discussions on the deepening dispute over its nuclear weapons programs.

No invitation has been received for Rice to visit the reclusive communist country for bilateral talks, an unidentified official at the State Department in Washington said.

The official was responding to a report by a Japanese business daily that North Korea has asked China to arrange a visit by the U.S. state secretary.

I don’t see this happening unless Pyongyang makes a lot of concessions in return. Especially after she called North Korea an “Outpost of Tyranny”. I would be surprised if they would want to have such a anti-North Korean figure traveling to their country. Plus I would think Secretary Rice has more important things to do then listen to demands from the Norks for food and money. I bet she in content to let the South Koreans listen to all the whining for now. I don’t see her getting involved unless a concrete deal has been reached.

Hiking On the Trails at Sorak Mountain

This weekend I decided to spend it at Soraksan National Park. I am an avid hiker so I was looking forward to hitting the trails. I really like hiking here in Korea not just because of the scenic mountains but also because I always seem to run into interesting people. This hike would be no different.

I started my day at 0430 in the morning and began hiking towards the summit of Sorak mountain, Daecheong Peak, from the Osaek Hot Springs trail head located in the south of the park and from Daecheong Peak I would head to the Sorak-dong Village to meet up with my wife there. She can’t hike big mountains like this because she has a bad knee. The owner of the hotel I stay at everytime I go to Soraksan, the Hyundai Hotel in Osaek drove me to the trailhead that morning. The owner is really nice guy who runs an older hotel but the rooms are clean and only 25,000 won. Plus every room has a tub which can be filled with Osaek’s famous hotspring water. The owner will drive you to the nearby trailheads and give you hiking recommendations and advice if you ask. So if in Osaek I recommend staying at his place.

The trail to Daecheong Peak had just recently reopened due to the fire danger and the damage to the environment by people leaving litter everywhere. The park authorities have put up banners, signs, and flags everywhere around the park warning people not to smoke, cook, or litter while in the park.

It was really good to see the park trying to do something about the littering and smoking problems in the park because it would be a shame to see this great park end up like the Naksan Park and temple located nearby that received heavy forest fire damage due to probably someone throwing a cigarette butt out of their car.


Soraksan Mountain in the background ringed with clouds.

However, once I proceeded up the trail I found out the awareness campaign has had little effect. About an hour and half into the hike I reached Sorak Falls. At the falls I found evidence that some hikers had camped at the falls the night before even though the trail was supposed to be closed until opening on Saturday morning. They left trash, two soju bottles, and cigarette butts everywhere. I saw one area where you can tell somebody’s batteries died so they threw the old batteries on the ground and then the packaging for the new batteries was tossed right next to it. What lazy pieces of crap would just throw stuff like this on the ground in Korea’s most beautiful park?

Unfortunately many people in Korea do just what these campers did every day in Korea’s parks. This is what frustrates me the most about Koreans. Pack up the trash you take into the park! Don’t leave it on the ground for someone else to pick up! I couldn’t tell you how much trash I have picked up in Korea’s parks but I was on a 15km hike and didn’t have enough room in my bag or time in the day to pick up all the trash laying around like I usually try and do.


The view from Daecheong Peak.

Anyway I proceeded up the trail and an hour and a half later I reached Daecheong Peak which stands at an elevation of 1708 meters and is the third highest mountain in Korea. The view was great, you can see all areas of the park, plus Sokcho, Yangyang, and other areas along the East Coast. There was still some fog covering some areas but all in all a great view.


Marker on top of Soraksan Mountain.

On the top of the mountain I ran into a group of about 15 hikers who were very friendly and offered me some kimbab and oranges to eat with them. They were surprised to see a foreigner especially a GI up here on the mountain. They were even further surprised that I could speak some very basic Korean. These hikers were on a company bonding trip to the park. These types of trips are common in Korea. They were all employees of some pharmaceutical company in Ansan. They ranged in age from the late 20’s to 50’s. What was surprising was that the top manager on this bonding trip was a guy that was only 29 years old and was younger than 2/3 of his employees. This is an odd thing in Korea.


Descending from the summit towards a cabin that hikers can pay to sleep in overnight.

View looking towards the summit with the cabin in the foreground.

The hikers huddled around me and led by the top manager they gave me the usual interogation one receives when first meeting Koreans. How old are you? Are you married? Do you have a baby? Where are you from? How much do you make? Etc. Etc. I then asked the manager what time they left to reach the summit since they beat me here and I saw nobody else hiking up the trail. He told me they camped at the Sorak Falls and headed up from there. Aha! I found my litter bugs! He then said that they were going to camp at another location at the park Saturday night no doubt to litter that area too before heading down the mountain Sunday to go home to Ansan. Then one of the guys in the group threw the orange peels on the ground. I picked them up and put them in a plastic bag I had in my pack. He asked why I was picking up the orange peels. I told them that it is not right to litter a national park. Then I brought up the fact about all the trash at Sorak Falls. They said it was there before they ever got there, but they were clearly embarrassed and soon left. I think it is safe to say I didn’t win in friends in Ansan on this trip but maybe they will think twice before leaving their trash lying around on the mountain that night.


I then proceeded down the peak, but before I left a group of ajummas came up the mountain wearing those huge visors that look like something you would see at a Donald Duck convention. Anyway the wind suddenly picked up and blew their visors off and they went flying off the side of the mountain. I think that is a sign that mother nature doesn’t like those visors either.


Trail descending down the mountain towards the east.

Anyway I went past Dinosaur Ridge down into the beautiful Cheongbuldong Valley. In the valley you begin to see more of your day trippers dressed in their hiking finest. People wearing the funny socks, expensive hiking suits, rucksacks with every accessory imaginable attached to it. One guy I saw had an ice pick! Another guy had snow cleats. There is no snow left on that mountain.


Cheonbuldong Valley in Outer Soraksan National Park.

However, many of the day trippers were very nice and friendly when I stopped at the mountain huts to sit down and drink some water before moving on. Some of them were amazed that I was hiking from Osaek to Sorak-dong in one day with such a small backpack. If I was wearing as much crap as some of those people were I probably couldn’t make it in one day.

Anyway I did meet a really nice ajushi who was about 60 years old. He offered me some tomatoes and we talked for a little while. He gave me the usual interogation and then told me that he was from Pocheon which is a city here in the 2ID area I know well, he was also retired from a semiconductor company, and was taking his grandson who was the over weight teenager with him on a hike of Soraksan. This was the first time he had met a GI before even though he lives in the 2ID area. He always just saw us driving by in our tanks and trucks all the time.

He then asked me if I liked Bush or Clinton better. I told him I liked Bush and he said he liked Clinton. He told me Clinton didn’t want war with North Korea and Bush does. Ironically Clinton was actually prepared to go to war with North Korea in 1994 when Jimmy Carter without White House permission went to Pyongyang and negotiated a settlement that Pyongyang would never live up to but got plenty of free booty anyway.

I told him Bush doesn’t want war in Korea especially with so much of the military tied up in Iraq, but he doesn’t want to give free stuff to Kim Jong Il either. I told him I don’t want to see my tax money going to Kim Jong Il either. If South Korea wants to give him free money that is there choice. He then asked me about the Osan Security Squadron Scandal. I told him that 1LT involved will more than likely go to jail. He thought he should be tried in a Korean court. He was on duty during the offenses so under the SOFA he will be tried in a military court. He didn’t like that so we agreed to disagree.

However, it is embarrassing to have to defend the military here all the time when I get quized by Koreans I meet due to the yearly incident that seems to arise here. 3 years ago was the armored vehicle accident, 2 years ago we had the drunk driving staff sergeant that killed a Korean woman, then last year we had the Shinchon Chain Saw Massacre, and now this year we have the Osan Scandal. Maybe I should start quizing every Korean I see about what they think about the ROK Army’s scandals?


Chosen Era Calligraphy Carved in the Rock at Biseondae
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I hiked a while with him and he moved really fast for being an older ajushi. His grandson started to fall behind. I started to slow down but the ajushi kept going and said his grandson needed to lose weight. We then passed a group of hikers who were having a picnic on a rock in the creek. The ajushi stopped and yelled at them because they were not supposed to picnic because the picnickers leave trash plus they were smoking in the park. I was beginning to really like this guy even if he is a Clinton fan. Maybe there is hope to protect the environment here after all. We reached Biseondae mountain hut and parted from there because he told me his grandson wanted to watch the women there. I’m sure he probably wanted to check them out too.

Biseondae is only a 2km walk from the park entrance so here you have all the Seoul weekenders. The place was packed with Kangnam beauties in high heels and designer dresses with their equally dressed up boyfriends. I couldn’t tell who wore more makeup the girls or the guys. Was I in the wilderness or at the club? We just needed some techno tunes and a dance floor.

I quickly made my way out of there and had a heck of a scare when I nearly stepped on a snake. Yes that is right a snake! Korea does in fact have snakes. It was sitting in the path warming itself in the sun. It was about 10 inches long and a greenish color. I remember hearing before that the small snakes in Korea are poisonous but I don’t know. So I quickly jumped back and skirted that area since I didn’t want to mess with him. I he slithered off before I could unpack my camera. I can’t stand snakes.

Wore out I finally made it to Sorak-dong at about 1PM and linked up with my wife. I covered approximately 15km of mountain trails in 8.5 hours, met lots of people along the way, saw some ugly visors get blown of the mountain, got to see everyone dressed in their expensive hiking outfits, saw my first snake in Korea, plus got to laugh at all the dressed of metrosexuals. If that isn’t a fun day I don’t know what is.

However, I didn’t see any other fellow foreigners the whole day until I got to the Sorak-dong area where there was many foreigners. If you are going to the park the Sorak-dong area provides some nice scenery but it is overly crowded and you should really hike into the back country to get a real appreciation of Soraksan. If you are planning a trip to Soraksan and need some advice let me know. I know the mountain really well and should be able to make you an itinerary to fit your time and fitness level. More foreigners should try to get into the back country it really is worth it.

Korean-American Friendship Treaty

The Korea Times has a nice follow up on a posting I did on the American Campaign of 1871 in Korea that is worth checking out.

More Details Released On Osan Shakedown Scandal

The Stars and Stripes has an update about the Osan officer currently jailed at Camp Humphrey’s for alledgedly shaking down bar owners.

A U.S. Air Force lieutenant was charged Friday with bribery, extortion, rape and other misconduct in connection with an alleged shakedown scandal while he headed the Air Force police team that patrols the bar district outside Osan Air Base.

The officer, 1st Lt. Jason D. Davis of the 51st Security Forces Squadron, also was charged with assault, larceny, adultery, violations of regulations and lawful orders, willful dereliction of duty, making false official statements and conduct unbecoming an officer, according to a U.S. Forces Korea news release.

The assault and rape charges throws a new wrinkle into this case because I have heard absolutely nothing about those offenses. It is safe to say 1LT Davis is in some extremely serious trouble looking at these charges.

I have posted before about what rumors I have heard. However, what I still can’t understand is how the bar owners thought that 1LT Davis had the power to put their clubs off limits? In 2ID the club owners before being put off limits can make their case to a board comprised of senior leaders in the division about why they should not be put off limits. I’m not sure how they do it in Osan, maybe the Nomad can help me out here, but the process should be similar. If the club owners felt like they were being shaked down by the town patrol why didn’t they make their case to the board in Osan about it? If they did launch a complaint, then why didn’t the board launch an investigation into the allegations? If I was this guy’s lawyer this is what I would be looking at.

Even so 1LT Davis is still got charges against him he can’t possibly beat such as making a false official statement, conduct unbecoming of an officer, and adultery. These charges are all serious and pretty cut and dry. He better hope his lawyer can work out a good plea deal for him because he is going to get convicted of something, it is just a matter of what and how many.

Yongsan Garrison, Seoul Korea

NOTE:  I have a much more updated posting about Yongsan available at this link.

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The Garrison – Yongsan Garrison is a large compound located right in the middle of Seoul. It is truly an odd sight for such a big base in the middle of one of the world’s largest most vibrant cities. Could you imagine a large military base in the middle of Manhattan? That is why there are currently plans to move the compound within the next three years.

If you are lucky enough to get stationed here enjoy the place while it lasts because it is a great place to be stationed. Yongsan is one of the nicest military posts I have been on to include anywhere in the United States.

The camp houses some 6,000 soldiers, 1,000 ROK Army KATUSA soldiers that are augmented by 1,000 US civilian workers and 6,000 Korean civilian workers. The on post housing is outstanding with many new barracks buildings for the soldiers. There is also the newly renovated Hanam Village for families that are housed off post. For those that choose to live on the economy off post beware that there are numerous people willing to swindle you, so make sure you read your housing lease very closely. Click Here for the latest Yongsan housing information.

The shopping on the post cannot be beat. The PX is the largest I have seen in the army accompanied by the largest commissary I have ever seen. The post also has numerous mini-malls to augment the already great shopping at the PX.

The Post also has a multitude of eating establishments to choose from all over the post. The nicest restaurants are located at the 5-Star Hotel The Dragon Hill Lodge.

That’s right, Yongsan has it’s very own 5-Star Hotel. The Dragon Hill is one of the nicest hotels in all of Korea and is affordable to the average GI. Not only are the rooms and restaurants great but the hotel also has numerous bars and shopping areas to keep you occupied not to mention the fitness center and swimming pool.

Shopping – The Itaewon district just outside of the Yongsan garrison offers plenty of both shopping and entertainment. The district is the easiest market for shopping for foreigners in Korea. The shop owners in Itaewon all can speak some English and are familiar with western tastes. Unbelievable discounts on suits, leather jackets, hand bags, wallets, jewelery, etc. can be found in Itaewon. You will be absolutely amazed by the bargains there. Make sure you always haggle for the best price because in Asian culture haggling is expected so don’t by shy to negotiate for a lower price. Just tell them “kaka-chu-seyo!” This is Korean for, “I want a discount.” Use this phrase because it will save you money. Don’t pay more than you have to because if you do it encourages the shop keepers to raise their prices to rip off other foreigners.

Nightlife – The nightlife in Itaewon is outstanding. There is a club for everybody’s taste in Itaewon. There are rock clubs, jazz bars, Irish pubs, rave clubs, and your typical “juicy girl” bars. One of the most popular bars in Itaewon that is great for meeting other foreigners is Geckos just across the street from Burger King. Definitely a good place to start your Itaewon adventures at. However, do be careful what bars you go into at Itaewon because many of them have been put off limits by the army.

You do not want to get busted by the MPs. The MPs do have people in uniform and plain clothes monitoring the off limits establishments. The penalties are severe for infractions. Overall you can have a great time partying in Itaewon without visiting the more shadier establishments. So don’t feel like you are missing out on anything.

Places In Korea: Wolmi-do Island

My final installment of my Focus on Incheon series is about the historical Wolmi-do island. Wolmi-do island was made famous due to General MacArthur’s Incheon Landing Operation during the Korean War. Wolmi-do is where the first American Marines landed at Green Beach on Wolmi-do to begin the critical operation to liberate the port city of Incheon from the North Korean communist agressors. Today Wolmi-do is not even an island due to land reclamation that has now connected the island to Incheon proper. You can in fact take a bus now to reach the “island”.

Wolmi-do Boardwalk
Monument honoring the Marines that stormed Green Beach during the Incheon Landing Operation
Monument honoring the Marines that stormed Green Beach during the Incheon Landing Operation.

Wolmi-do island is viewable from just about anywhere in Incheon due to the large round hill that rises from the island. Radar Hill due to the large naval radar located on the top of the hill is a popular place for locals to hike up and get some fresh air and views of the island and the Incheon harbor below.

Wolmi-do Viewed from Radar Hill
Old fortification on Radar Hill

Wolmi-do is also popular for the nice upscale boardwalk that is built exactly where the Marines landed that day in 1950. The boardwalk includes many trendy coffee shops and seafood restaurants. Outside on the weekends there is usually a cultural event of some kind taking place, plus fortune tellers and artists who will service you for a price. For the adventurous there is always the amusement park on the island to check out. It has many high flying rides and games to try. If that isn’t enough you can just sit and watch the sunset and the boats going by. You can also catch a boat at the ferry terminal to tour the numerous islands located in the Incheon Bay. They even have special tour packages to view some of the island made famous in Korean dramas and movies such as Silmi-do island. All tours can be arranged through the tour information office located outside the Incheon train station.

The view from Radar Hill
The view from Radar Hill

No trip to Incheon would be complete without a stop over at Wolmi-do. Hiking up radar hill, eating seafood at one of the restaurants, and watching the sunset from the pier is enough to fill anyone’s afternoon. Definitely worth checking out.

Osan Air Base

The Base – For most people coming to Korea, Osan Air Base is the first place you will see because this is where the Space A flights land in Korea. The most recognizable feature of Osan while landing will the PATRIOT missile batteries that protect the airfield.

However, going to Osan Air Base when you have been stationed in 2ID for a while is like going to Disneyland. The cultural difference is just amazing. It actually feels like you are back in America. The base is extremely nice and has a huge PX and commissary plus everything else you would expect from a large US military installation back in the states.

At Osan AB there is plenty to do both on and off post. On post there is opportunities to participate in many intramural sports from softball to bowling. There is also a great golf course located coveniently on post. The post also features plenty of American eating establishments along with night clubs. The housing on Osan for the soldiers is the best in Korea with college dorm quality that the majority of barracks are either new or renovated. The rooms all have access to a great cable package to get all your favorite stations from the states along with high speed internet access. So if you get stationed on Osan feel fortunate because it is the nicest installation in Korea.

The Shopping – The Songtan market is famous for great shopping for foreigners in Korea. The shop owners in Songtan can speak some English and are familiar with western tastes. Unbelievable discounts on suits, leather jackets, hand bags, wallets, jewelery, etc. can be found in Songtan.

You will be absolutely amazed by the bargains there. Make sure you always haggle for the best price because in Asian culture haggling is expected so don’t by shy to negotiate for a lower price. Just tell them “kaka-chu-seyo!” This is Korean for, “I want a discount.” Use this phrase because it will save you money. Don’t pay more than you have to because if you do it encourages the shop keepers to raise their prices to rip off other foreigners.

Night Life – Outside the gate is the city of Songtan. The city features possibly the best night life in Korea outside of Itaewon.

Songtan has both your typical “juicy girl” clubs where soldiers buy drinks for $20 to talk to either Phillipino or Russian women brought into Korea. Make sure you do not get involved in human trafficking and prostitution. There is a big crackdown on this activity in the military and the best way to avoid it, is to avoid the juicy girl clubs.

The novelty of the juicy girls gets old and expensive after a while anyway so make sure you check out all the great normal clubs in Songtan. Unlike other GI “villes” in Korea that have nothing but “juicy girl” clubs, Songtan has plenty of normal clubs to check out.

If you have been stationed on Osan before please leave comments about your insights on Osan Air Base.

Places in Korea: The Incheon Landing Operation Memorial Hall

Basic Information

  • Name: Incheon Landing Operation Memorial Hall (인천상륙작전기념관)
  • Where: Incheon, Gyeongi Province
  • Cost: Free
  • Hours: 0900-1800 (Closed for holidays)
  • More Info: Visit Korea website

Narrative

For those who want to learn more about the Incheon landing operation or about the Korean War in general I recommend you visit the Incheon Landing Memorial Monument Hall in the Songdo area of Incheon. The memorial is fairly new and houses a nice collection of artifacts and memorabilia from the landing operation and the Korean War. The best part is that admission into the museum is free.

The entrance to the memorial features a large archway adorned with the flags of the 16 countries that participated in the Korean War. Climbing up the stairs to the second outside level of the memorial you can see a static display of aircraft and equipment used during the Korean War. Most notably the landing crafts used during the invasion.

Modern day ROK amphibious landing craft.

The third level of the memorial houses a large statue that honors the soldiers that fought at Incheon Harbor on September 15, 1950. The statue is detailed and quite impressive. Near the statue is a bronze plaque in tribute of the 1st Marine Division that spearheaded the Incheon Landing Operation. Like the Marine heroes in action at Incheon that fateful day, today’s 1st Marine Division was called on to lead the November 2004 successful assault to retake the terrorist held city of Fallujah in Iraq.

Statue honoring the US forces that captured Incheon during the Korean War.
Plaque honoring 1st Marine Division.

From here head back down to the first level of the memorial to enter the museum. The museum is actually put together quite nicely with events of the Korean War and the Incheon Landing Operation presented in chronological order complete with explanations of the exhibits presented in Korean, English, and Japanese by the push of a button.

Uniforms of Korean War combatants.
Magazines from the Korean War era.

Conclusion

If in Incheon make sure you visit the Incheon Landing Memorial. It is free and really well put together and worthy of a visit. It is open on Tues-Sun from 9:30-18:30. To reach it just get off at the Incheon train station and have a taxi taking you to Songdo where the Memorial is located.