UNMCK - UNITED NATIONS MEMORIAL CEMETERY IN KOREA

Dear Korean War Veteran, Hello, I am Hareen Oh, a 17 year old high school student in South Korea. For the last few weeks I was very busy because of my midterm exams. I had to study for tests on six subjects, so I had a tight schedule. I designed a planner to keep track of the time and studied with my friends in the evening self-study classes. Many Korean high school students are very sensitive and competitive when it comes to tests and grades so the atmosphere in the classes are very heavy and sometimes dark. This motivates me to study harder but also pressures me. It is quite tiring during these exam seasons because I have to stay up late at night to study. Also, I would get frustrated if I couldn’t understand something and become anxious as it got closer to the day of the exam. But I think the thing that really stressed me out was the fact that I had tons left to do when I had already done so much. After all this studying and stressful weeks, I took the test for 3 days, 2 subjects on each day. My grades weren’t as good as I hoped they would be, so I was a little depressed. But I didn’t have much time to stay blue because as soon as the last test ended, I had to get ready to hang out with my friends! We had a picnic near the Han River and ate ramen and tteokbokki, which are popular foods that Korean students enjoy eating. After that we went to Lotte World, an amusement park in Korea, and rode all the roller coasters that we could. I also got a zombie makeup for the Halloween parade and took many pictures with the other monsters. I had a hard time studying for the midterm exam but was rewarded with the time I had with my friends in the picnic and at the amusement park. And I know I shouldn’t take this just for granted. All of my experiences and memories that I made at school, home, and amusement parks with my friends and family are made on the efforts of you and your fellow colleague veterans. Without your hard work during the Korean War, it would have been almost impossible for Korea to grow as a country it is today. I might not have had a chance to study for my exams even if I wanted to, and I would only dream of having a picnic or going to the amusement park with my friends. Even though I know almost nothing about war and how it feels like to fight in it, I can imagine that it was a very dangerous and difficult time. I can’t possibly measure how much courage it took for you to volunteer and help South Korea. Although almost 70 years have passed since the Korean War, I am positive that every Korean remembers your dedication and are grateful for what you have done for us and our country. Thank you for everything you and your fellow colleague veterans have done for us. Sincerely, Hareen Oh