Photo/ Juniors and seniors majoring in Korean at Hochi Minh National University. They say they are happy because the impression the Vietnamese had of Koreans improved greatly due to Korean people's sincere efforts to repent and apologize.

Korean Youth Lowers their Heads With Shame

Civilian Killings by Korean Soldiers. Is bringing this issue up really so detrimental to Koreans living in Vietnam? Among those Vietnamese I met during my travels, there were many who had different opinions. ¡°I never realized what sincere people Koreans are.¡± ¡°I can now understand how Korea was able to achieve such great economic development in such a short period of time.¡± Some might dispute this as being nonsense. However, the truth is, it is not. Many Vietnamese are now praising Koreans for their open and genuine response. Why are they doing so? There is one thing I need to make clear. It is not exactly the "Civilian Killing by Korean Soldiers" that is the issue in Ho Chi Minh. The Vietnamese people are touched that Koreans voluntarily and honestly made an issue of their past to repent and have made an apology. It is more meaningful because this issue was something that even the Vietnamese media never paid attention to. Vietnamese are surprised to hear that a 'Donate to Repent' campaign is going on in Korea. On Sunday, November 28, at 3 a forum was held in the Exchange Room on the second floor of Ho Chi Minh Youth Cultural Center. Up until now, various kinds of similar forums and events involving foreigners have been held here but this one was first of its kind. The name of the forum was "Interview with Su-Jeong Ku" the Ho Chi Minh correspondent who wrote the hotly debated article entitled ¡°On-site Report On Civilian Killings by Korean Soldiers¡± published in 273th edition of . "Why did Korean mercenaries had to be so cruel? Why did they have to be so out of their minds to kill even the new born babies?¡± ¡°Is Korea still subordinated to the U.S?¡± ¡°If Koreans are demanding compensation from the U.S. for the alleged massacre in Nogunri, then shouldn't they be making compensation to Vietnam for their own wrongdoing?¡± The questions, shouted by some 200 young Vietnamese people that crowded the room, were serious and sober. However, the words from the writer's heart touched their souls. ¡°It gave me great pain to reveal the blunders of my own people. However, if I hadn't done it, somebody would have done it in the near future. The past cannot close the door behind itself.¡± The representative of the Korean students studying in Vietnam read a letter of apology and lowered his head with shame. ¡°We love your courage¡± responded the Vietnamese students. ¡°We are always ready to forgive you.¡± they added. Sons and daughters of the two nations have inherited the pain and shame of their parent. On that day, some 30 years after their fathers fought against each other, they opened up their minds and embraced each other with understanding and reconciliation.

It was something hard even to imagine.

"It was first time that this center held a forum on such a sensitive political issue.¡± Nguyen Xuan(42), the Chairman of the Hochi Minh Youth Cultural Center commented that young Vietnamese requested that such event be held. ¡°After the article was published, many called to ask how they could reach the writer. It was the hope of the center that Vietnamese youngsters could learn something by meeting and talking to her.¡± Thanks to her article and the forum, the correspondent became a celebrity in Vietnam. She was regarded as "a person that represents young Koreans." As her picture appeared often in , many people such as a waiter in a hotel coffee shop recognized her. The waiter refused to charge her for her drinks. She was sometimes surprised when even people in Nha Trang and Ninh Hoa in the central part of Vietnam recognized her. Thuy Nga(37), the reporter who wrote the articles in boasted that after writing the article introducing the original article from and reporting the ongoing campaign in Korea, he received 'The Reporter of the Month' award. He was selected by other staff reporters throughout the entire newspaper agency and, as financial compensation, his salary for that month was doubled. ¡°The articles totally changed the notions the Vietnamese had of Korea and its people. Deep in the bottom of the Vietnamese people's minds were feelings of hatred for the Koreans. Korea's role in the Vietnam War damaged Korea's image and so did the recent incident in which the managers of Korean businesses beat the local workers. Against this backdrop, Korean soap operas that started coming into Vietnam just few years ago are playing great role in enhancing Korea's damaged status in Vietnam. (These days, is really popular.) Imported Korean dramas occupy are shown on prime time on Hanoi Broadcast and Ho Chi Minh Broadcast, not to mention the local broadcasting systems. ¡°Korean TV dramas only partially improved the impression we had of the Korean people. However, the recent news of the campaign to ¡®Donate to Repent' completely transformed the images of Koreans here in Vietnam.¡±analyzes Thuy Nga. From Korean people's attitude to repent and confess their sins of the past, the Vietnamese could see the 'beautiful potential' they possess. The same thing happened at the scenes of the civilian massacre. Tram Thi Due, who is now an old lady, was breast feeding her baby at her home when Korean soldiers came into her house and raped her. She also had to watch her husband, who was not a Viet Cong but worked for the U.S military, shot to death. When she recently heard about the campaign in Korea, she couldn't believe her ears. Her eyes were wide open with doubt and surprise, and she said it's something that is impossible to imagine. Maybe it's because Koreans are remembered as terrifying figures. Reuter Expresses its Interest The article ¡®Civilian Killings by Korean Soldiers¡¯ published in became a small storm and hit Hochi Minh. It is now gaining strength and heading north, moving quietly but with speed from the south to the central and northern regions of Vietnam. It might be heading to other parts of the world, attracting more attention. World famous media agency Reuter is showing its interest in the issue. It is scheduled to interview correspondent Su-Jeong Ku soon and start reporting on the issue in mid December. ¡°Some 1000 people died in Vin Dinh province? That is hard to believe... Even in Mai Lai Massacre, the number of death toll was 504. How could killings involving such a large number of people remain unheard of for so long?" said Reuter with great surprise. ¡°Nevertheless, our objective is not to expose Koreans people's past atrocities. It bears much greater significance that Koreans themselves voluntarily brought this matter to light. We want to show the world the faces of beautiful Koreans.¡± Now, it all depends on the Korean government. The government's failure to make sincere apologies to Vietnam and its people will leave them only with feelings of betrayal and deepening hatred. However, the Korean government is worried with the fact that these stories will create 'the Vietnamese version of Nogunri¡¯ and is concentrating on hiding the facts. A gale named¡®Civilian Massacre by Korean Soldiers¡¯that started in Korea hit Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi and is now heading toward the rest of the world. It might some day turn into a huge hailstorm and return to swallow the Korean government.

(287th edition of "The Hankyoreh21"/ 16. Dec, 1999)

Copyright 1995-1998 ÇÑ°Ü·¹½Å¹®»ç
webmast@news.hani.co.kr