North Korea

In September, Jim's good friend from high school visited us here in Korea. While he was here, they took a tour up to the North Korean border or the DMZ (demilitarized zone). Susan Grace tagged along with them.

Since we moved here in 2008 I have wondered about our enemy next door. There have been times when I have woken up during the night and looked out the window and thought, "how will I get out of here with my family if war breaks out?" It's a frightening thought.
When North Korea does something aggressive, my friends and family worry. The truth is, life in South Korea moves along at a pretty regular pace. The buses run, the schools are in session and little is mentioned about North Korea. I think I noticed more emotion over the standard of U.S. beef than I did over North Korea's nuclear weapons testing in May of 2009. My perception is that South Korea doesn't know anything different than an enemy next door. They live with it. They are sorry at times, but they live with it.
The father of my close friend escaped from North Korea during the war. He survived on a bag of rice that his mother gave to him. He hid along the roadside traveling to Seoul seeking refuge. Only two generations ago this peninsula was divided by war.

War is near and real to them, but I don't think the South Koreans live in fear. They are too hearty. They just live.