Ko Im’s grandfather left what was then the Korean capital of Kaesong after the Korean War first broke out more than 60 years ago. He refers to that day as simply 6-2-5. It’s the same way those in the United States refer to September 11 as 9-11.
Im (pictured left) reflected on 60 years after the end of the Korean War in a blog she wrote for WUSA in Washington, D.C. where she is a reporter.
“He (her grandfather)escaped with his three siblings but his parents were left behind,” wrote Im. “His uncle may have been shot and killed on the way. As for my grandfather, he never went back. In fact, after working on a military base, he pursued the American dream by eventually emigrating to the U.S. territory of Guam. He considers the island his home, as I do, too”
President Obama declared July 27 National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day.
Today, Im says South Korea celebrates that day as a day of remembrance. North Korea celebrates it as “Victory Day.” Tensions remain high on both sides of the border and the future relations between the two countries is uncertain.
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Im’s wish is that her grandfather will see “the day the hostility will relax and the unease will quiet.”
