Korean War Legacies: Healing the Trauma of Korean American Family Separation | United States Institute of Peace

Korean War Legacies: Healing the Trauma of Korean American Family Separation | United States Institute of Peace



Korean War Legacies: Healing the Trauma of Korean American Family Separation

CENTER: Asia Center
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June 25 marks 74 years since the beginning of the Korean War, which remains unresolved today. Perhaps the most palpable legacy of this conflict are the separated families — both on the Korean Peninsula and in the diaspora — who are unable to see or communicate with each other. As the first generation of divided families enter the twilight of their lives and barriers to direct people-to-people exchanges endure, there is a need to explore the intergenerational impact of family separation and opportunities for sustaining the collective memories of this human connection between the United States and North Korea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swMQga96EzU


<iframe src='https://61fc1d25b22247-60938955.castos.com/player/1772289' width='100%' height='150'></iframe>



On June 25, USIP held a conversation that explored alternative pathways for facilitating reconciliation between Washington and Pyongyang at a time of deadlocked U.S.-North Korea relations. This event highlighted current initiatives that aim to support Korean American divided families, including the proposed Divided Families National Registry Act, which would establish a U.S. government registry for divided families, and Letters to My Hometown, a storytelling project to archive video messages from elderly Korean Americans to their relatives in North Korea.
Speakers

Frank Aum, welcoming remarks
Senior Expert, Northeast Asia, U.S. Institute of Peace

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), introductory remarks
U.S. Representative from California

Former Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), recorded video message
Former U.S. Senator

Ambassador Julie Turner
U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues, Department of State

Paul Kyumin Lee
President, Divided Families USA

HJ Lee
Co-Founder and Executive Director, KoreanAmericanStory.org

Chahee Lee Stanfield
Korean-American Divided Family Member; Executive Director, Nati

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Mike DS Park

Author

Top contributor

In 1983, KBS aired a show to help ‘separated-by-war’ families find their loved ones.

The name of this show was called ‘이산가족찾기‘ and aired for 453 straight-hours.

Since 1983 (41 years ago) would be, for some members, before you were born or before you first came to South Korea, here is a short video clip from this televised event.

The negative effects of war on the Korean peninsula spread well beyond those who fought on the battlefield. This event had taken place 30 years after the Korean War ended.

One need not speak Korean to take-in conversation, the facial expressions and tears speak for themselves. Hint/Spoiler: Umma (엄마) in Korean means Mama/Ma (mother) in English.

The sorrows of war are clearly evident beyond doubt.

https://youtu.be/NDcOD_5Fs1o

YOUTUBE.COM

[상봉 하이라이트] 이산가족을 찾습니다 1983년 8월 5일_2 (KBS 방송)

[상봉 하이라이트] 이산가족을 찾습니다 1983년 8월 5일_2 (KBS 방송)

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Elisabeth Hawkins

Mike DS Park Thank you for posting this. It was really heartbreaking to watch, but it's so important.