Into the Light - Okhwan Yoon

Into the Light The Mission of Okhwan Yoon

남북 통일 세계 평화

Into the Light The Mission of Okhwan Yoon

Okhwan wishes to acknowledge the help and support given to him by many people throughout his journey.

Compiled by Sarah Marshall

Who is Okhwan Yoon?

Okhwan Yoon is a Korean man who has cycled through 192 countries since 2001. The motivation behind his journey stems from his desire for a unified Korea. Okhwan received his first bike when he was six years old and started to cycle around the rooms of his family home. His mother raised him to be independent and to express his convictions. In his teenage years, after coming back from school, he would ride around the villages near Seoul until it got dark. He wondered who lived behind the mountains and what it looked like there.

From this, his cycling territory became the whole world. 1984, Okhwan was arrested while demonstrating against South Korea's military regime and was tortured by police forces. He chose to study law, graduated university in 1987 and in 1991 started a trading company. In 2001 he left Korea, abandoned his suit and tie for cycling gear, gave up the search for family life and quit his career as a successful businessman to experience the world. He has survived car crashes, malaria, kidnapping and he almost lost his life from extreme heat and cold.

All this to support his quest for a more peaceful world.

Okhwan’s Dream "I have a dream that one day there will be a united Korea and a united world. North and South Korea represent the last country that is divided by ideology.

When Korea is finally reunited it will be a great step towards world peace.

I'm convinced that the meaning of the world peace is to understand and respect each others’ ideology, culture, religion, language, and identity. Understanding one another forms a deep connection from heart to heart, society to society, and border to border.

I wish to witness a united Korean peninsula in my lifetime with all my dear friends throughout the world.

With strong support my dream of uniting Korea can come true.

We have faced great challenges this generation but it is our duty to help raise our children in a more peaceful world. Face to face, hand to hand, shoulder to shoulder, side by side we can defeat this hatred and make our only world beautiful."

-Okhwan Yoon

“This is one movement of a tiny person who is living in this tiny planet.�

-Okhwan Yoon

a Kore h t u So

China

Russia

South Korea

China

Northern Ethiopia, 2005

Vietnam

Laos

Thailand

ia Cambod

Republic of Djibouti, 2005

Malaysia

Singapore

Bangladesh

India

Myanmar, 2006

Pakistan

Iran

Tu rke y Bu lga ria Greece

Italy

Tunisia

Alge ria Sp ain Fr an ce

Seychelles, 2007

“This is one of my obligations to dedicate myself to unify Korea.”

-Okhwan Yoon

co na Mo Ita ly

Switzer land

Liec

in ste n hte

Argentina, 2007

ny Germa ia str u A

la Po Czech Republ ic

“We must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.�

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

nd

Estonia a tvi a L

ia an u h Li t

Uruguay, 2007

Finland

S we d en

Norway

Denm ark Ge rm an y

s nd rla the Ne

Fifth car accident, Brazil, 2007

“I have been struck by cars five times. Six times surgery.”

-Okhwan Yoon

L ux em bou rg

Be lgiu m

France

England

Indonesia, 2007

nd Zeala w e N

da Cana Scotland

Irelan

d

South Sudan, 2007

Au

st l ia ra

Ja pa n Sou

th Ko rea

Uzbekistan

Srilanka, 2007

“The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.�

-William James

ia Georg

n enista Turkm

n baija Azer

Ukra ine

Philippines, 2007

Moldova

Romania

Serbia

Herczeg Bosnia-

South Coast, Korea, 2007

Croatia

Slovenia

Italy Sw itze rlan d

France

“I was born in South Korea, but North Korea is also my country. This is a global issue.”

W

-Okhwan Yoon

o occ Mor in Spa

Portugal

ra aha S rn te s e

Ecuador, 2008

M

au rita nia

“There never was a good war or bad peace.�

-Benjamin Franklin

Sen egal

Gu Gambia

i ne

au s s Bi a-

Gu ine a

Si

ne Leo a err

Liberia

Guine a

“A dream you dream alone is only a dream.

A dream you dream together is reality.�

-John Lennon

Ecuador, 2008

Ma li

na Gha

B u rk i n a F as o

t Co

Togo

ire ’Ivo d e

“During my travels I constantly wondered why we are so uncivilized and unenlightened. I encountered so much torture, starvation and genocide, but it strengthened me.

If there is no sunshine we will all freeze. We are all passengers on a tiny planet, this station we call planet earth. Life is short and we stay here for a brief time, but we must all live together in peace despite our differences.�

-Okhwan Yoon

Benin

Nige ria

Ca me roo n

Cen tral A frican Republ ic

Caracas, Venezuela, 2008

on Camero

a ial Guine Equator

Gabon

Slovakian students. Bratislava, Slovakia, 2011

Republ ic of the Con go

Democ ratic Republ ic of the Congo

Peru, 2008

la Ango

ia Namib

Botswana

ica Afr uth So

“Many people in the world look like grains of sand on the beach or stars in the sky. I have seen all different colors of night sky.�

-Okhwan Yoon t so Le

ho

Sw az ilan d Zimb abwe

ue Mozambiq

Colombia, 2008

wi Mala

Tanzania

Burundi

Rwanda

Ugand a

Mexico, 2008

Sou th S uda n Keny a

Ethiopia

ti Djibou

al ia m o S

Jordan

Israe l

Sy ria

Djibo uti

Erit rea

t yp Eg

“For it isn't enough to talk about peace.

One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it, one must work for it.�

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Bolivia, 2008

“Imagine all the people living life in peace.

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one.�

Le b

-John Lennon

an o S yr

ia

Kuwait

Bahrain

Qatar

UAE

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.�

-Jimi Hendrix

Bolivia, 2008

Oman

Yem en Oma n

UAE

Iran

Nepal, 2010

ik i s Taj Af

n ista n a gh

tan

n ista k e Uzb

yzstan Kyrg

Kazakhstan

Nepal, 2010

China

Mo ngo

l ia Chin a

South Korea

Taiwan

Slovakia, 2011

s Phil ippine

Palau

s Malay

ia

esia Indon

Timu East

r

“One early morning I am sitting at Cyprus airport and a thought runs through my head–“ I established the production company ‘Filmpark’ in order to tell stories that would inspire people. After 11 years, the time has come to live my dream. I am falling asleep. When I open my eyes I don’t know how much time has passed, and an Asian guy is looking straight into my face and asking me to take a picture of him standing in front of a sign reading Cyprus on it for his friends abroad. He begins telling me his story. His name: Okhwan Yoon. I am wide awake and my dream just started."

-Marek Mackovic director/producer of upcoming documentary, ‘Okhwan’

Papua New Guinea

Solo mon Islan ds

Vanu atu

Nauru

The Bourriennes met Okhwan in 1995 when Yvon was working on the construction of the high speed railway from Seoul to Pussan. Neither was speaking the other's language. Okhwan's lost dog brought them together.

They formed a friendship and started teaching each other their language. In 1998 Yvon's office was moved, but Okhwan came by bike to visit. In November of 1999 Yvon left Korea and occasionally had emails from Okhwan. In July of 2009 they were reunited in France.

Okhwan stayed with the Bourriennes for 3 weeks. Then in 2011 Okhwan visited with them three times as he traveled between Italy and England. For some of that time he was training for a marathon and would run over to Aubenas to pick up a loaf of bread. It was a route of about 20 kilometers. When he stayed with the Bourriennes, Okhwan always slept on the sofa because he rarely had a bed on his travels. In November he left for New York, via London.

Marshall Islands

Kiribati

Fiji

a Tong

oa S am

nd eala Z New

Aubenas, France, 2011

Chile

Argentina

Uru gua y

Bra z il Ma da ga

sca r

London, 2011

Comoros

Seychelles

Maurit ius

Madagascar

Brazil

London, 2011

guay Para

Bol ivia

Peru

Ecuador

Colombia

Venezuela

London, 2011

Panama

Jamaica

Trinidad & Toba go

Guyana

Surinam

“I feel very depressed whenever I think about the Korean peninsula because we Koreans have been divided for over 60 years.�

-Okhwan Yoon

am r in u S iana French Gu

Guyana

Trinida d& Tob ago

Gre nada

Crossroads to Macedonia and Athens, 2011

ent St. Vinc

a Barb

dos

ucia St. L

inica m o D

ua Antig

St. Kitts

Qatar, 2011

Ne vis

Dominic an Re publ ic

Haiti

Cuba

Panama

Abu Dhabi, 2011

a Cost

Rica

ragua Nica

Honduras

El Salvad or

Guate mala

Okhwan with Dušan Milko, Marek Mackovic and Martin Štrba. Rome, Italy, 2011

“Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy.”

-Thomas Jefferson

Bel i ze

Mexico

USA (Texas -Cal ifor

nia)

Me xi

co

US A (T exas -Florida)

New York City, 2011

as Baham

d ana C C) nD o t g shin a W idaFlor ( A US

a

in Spa

orra And

SantaCon. New York City, 2011

Fran ce Swi tzer lan d

Aus tria

Slov akia

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2011

“It has been the ultimate goal and longing dream for every Korean to have one united Korea. There are so many beliefs and hopes that the glorious moment of celebrating one Korea will come. We are ready to sing altogether ”Ode to Joy” on that moment to commemorate world peace. Okhwan has been leading us one step closer to that dream and moment for all of us.”

-Korean friends in Pittsburgh

via Lat Poland

Belarus

ania Lithu

Blairsville, Pennsylvania, 2011

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.�

-Abraham Lincoln

Est oni a

Finland

Sweden

Norway

nd Icela

“One little person giving all her time to peace, can make news. Many people, giving some of their time, can make history.�

-Peace Pilgrim

(peace activist Mildred Norman Ryder)

Blairsville, Pennsylvania, 2011

Norway

Cyp ress

Malta

Italy

Tunisia

Indiana, Pennsylvania, 2011

n eroo m Ca er Nig

Libya

Chad

Laurel Hill Summit, Pennsylvania, 2011

Gabo n Sao Tom e

Cam eroo n

Nigeri a

Into the light even on the darkest of days. Laurel Hill Summit, Pennsylvania, 2011

Niger

Mal i

Senegal

Maurita nia

Fairfax, Virginia, 2011

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.�

-Martin Luther King Jr.

West er

n Sa h ara

Morocco

Spain

ce Fran

“Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace.�

-Buddha

Little Rock, Arkansas, 2011

Spain

France

Italy

Slovakia

Little Rock, Arkansas, 2011

“Okhwan was my house guest for the last two nights. Today he heads to Dallas. We were blessed to have this time with Okhwan. We hope you will share his message and we pray that his focus of purpose will come to fruition.

Safe journeys to our friend.�

-Lealon Worrell

Hungary

Serbia

Montenegro

a Albani

Greenville, Texas, 2011

Macedonia

ovo Kos

Greece

Turkey

Geor gia

Armen ia

Georgia

“This is a really important time to build up our new peaceful world. We need to build up communication and reconciliation to heal the wounded people in North Korea and South Korea.”

-Okhwan Yoon

ria Sy

y ke r Tu Iraq

Turkey

Paraguay, 2007

Arabia Saudi n rda o J

UAE

“I am willing to share my experience and knowledge to connect people and build up our peaceful world.”

-Okhwan Yoon

India

Ne pa l

Bh uta n Nep al

Okhwan’s Journeys 2001 First Try South Korea, China, Russia (car accident)

2002-2003 Asia, Europe, Australia South Korea, China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand (minor car accident + police incident), Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, flight to Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Tunisia, Algeria. Ferry to Spain. France, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, South Korea

2003-2004 Asia, Europe South Korea, flight to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia-Herczeg, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, France, Portugal (held up), Spain

2004-2005 Africa, Middle East Ferry to Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea (malaria), Sierra Leone, Liberia,

Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola (malaria), Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi (malaria), Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan (kidnapped), Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea (malaria), Flight to Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Syria, (Iraq too dangerous), flight to Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Oman, UAE (minor car accident), Ferry to Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, China, South Korea.

2005-2006 Pacific Islands South Korea, Flight to Taiwan, Philippines, Palau, Malaysia, Indonesia, East Timur, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand

2007-2009 South America, Africa, Caribbean, North America Flight to Chile, Argentina (nose surgery), Uruguay, Brazil (attempted mugging); flight to Madagascar, Comoros,

Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar; flight to Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Suriname (car accident), French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, St. Vincent, Barbados (deported), Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados (deported again), Trinidad & Tobago, flight to St. Lucia, Dominica, Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis, Dominican Republic, Haiti (leg problems), Cuba, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, USA (Texas-California), Mexico, USA (Texas-Florida), Bahamas, USA (Florida-Washington DC), Canada

2009-2010 Leftovers: The Rest of Europe and Africa Flight to Spain, Andorra, France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Norway (Nordcap), flight to Iceland, Norway, flight to Cypress, flight to Malta, Ferry to Italy, Tunisia, Libya, Chad, Niger (malaria), Cameroon, Gabon, flight to Sao Tome, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco

2010 Through the Middle East, to Mt. Everest Spain, France, Italy (lost bicycle), car to Slovakia (given new

bicycle), Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, UAE, flight to Maldives, flight to India, Nepal, Bhutan, Nepal

Dallas, Texas, 2011

follow Okhwan online contact: okhwanstory@gmail.com www.okhwanstory.blogspot.com www.okhwan.com OkhwanYoon

Okhwan Yoon

Book created by Jeff Ottie, Joy Fairbanks, and Sarah Marshall

Into the Light The Mission of Okhwan Yoon