자라나는 우리 한인 청소년들에게 한국의 역사와 문화,
인물을 공부하게 하여 한국에 대한 올바른 인식과 자긍심을 갖게 함으
로써 한인으로서의 정체성을 키워주자. 특히 한국전쟁을 공부하게 하
여 전쟁의 원인, 과정, 후유증, 남북한 교류 확대 방안 모색, 통일로 가는
길을 열어가게 하자”
대뉴욕지구 경기여고 동창회 산하, 경운장학회는 4월 27일 오후 1시
맨해튼에 있는 코리아 소사이어티(The Korea Society)에서‘한국전쟁 (The Korean War)’을 주제로 제14회 영어웅변대회를 화상 및 대면 하
이브리드(hybrid)로 개최했다.
참가 대상은 미 전역에 거주하는 9학년부터 12학년의 한국계와 비한
국계 고등학생이다.
이 대회에 참가한 학생들은 이미 올해 2월‘한국전쟁(The Korean
War)’을 주제로 영어 글자수 1,400자 내, 웅변길이는 4-6분의 원고를
작성하여 경운장학회로 보내, 경운장학회가 원고 심사를 하여 결선 진 출자 15명의 선정을 마쳤다. 결선 진출자들은 장학회가 진행하는 스피치 워크샵을 통해 스피치 코칭을 받은 후, 4월 27일 본선에서 경합했다. 이들 15명 중 거주지에 따 라 11명은 직접 대회장에서 대면으로, 3명은 virtual로, 1명은 recording 으로 결선을 치렀다. 특히 올해는 15명의 결선 진출자 중 4명이 비한국계 학생이었고, 대 상 등 입싱자 중에도 비 한국계 학생들이 많았다. 경운장학회는 그동안 2011년~2021년 대회 입상자들의 원고를 모아
‘Teens Speak’라는 단행본을 내어 미 전국 고등학교와 각 도서관에 배 부 했는데, 2022~2031년 대회 입상작도 단행본으로 출판할 예정 이다.
RyanP. Kim[BergenCountyTechnicalHighSchool, NJ]
The Korean War is more than a footnote in history. It is a tale woven into the fabric of 20th century and present day Korea.
Today, I stand before you to dive deep into the intricate pages of this war—a conflict that was filled with not only pain, blood, and suffering but also bravery, resilience, and a yearning for freedom. Our journey will unravel the layers that not only shaped this pivotal event but also the lives and sacrifices of those who endured its trials, focusing on the narrative of a remarkable individual, Yoo Huan Joon.
To understand the Korean War, we must first understand the Korean people at a time when the idea of Koreanness was under attack. Yoo Huan Joon was born in 1932 on the island of 거제 amid the Japanese occupation. He witnessed many of his friends assaulted, harassed, and tortured in ways unimaginable and this was especially true for his female friends, whose stories became known as those of the comfort women. Japan destroyed not just individual lives but also attempted to kill the national spirit. Historic buildings were burnt and destroyed along with Korea’s history altered. It was to the point that Chang Gyeong palace, a royal structure that held 600 years of Korean history, was turned into a zoo with Sakura trees, the symbol of
Japan, planted all around. He was taught that Koreans were dumber, less civilized, weaker, shorter, and just overall inferior. It was said the Koreans could not even really be called a people as Koreans inevitably squabbled and fought through their whole history. It was only thanks to the grand leadership of Japan that there was peace, and Koreans must be thankful. But Yoo knew this wasn’t the case. After more than two decades of such a life, things finally changed. On August 15th, 1945, Korea was officially freed from Japanese occupation on a day known as Gwang Bok Jeol, which translates to the time of the restoration of light. Finally, he and his people were free. Celebrating with tears in their eyes, they were able to walk the streets of Korea in peace and begin their duties to help their families. They stepped into adulthood and independence shining together
as a people.
In fact, Yoo had worked hard being a fisherman that he was able to save up enough to send his younger siblings to Seoul for school. He had gone into town to buy himself new shoes, he heard the news of what happened just a few days earlier: on June 25th, 1950, 75,000 North Korean soldiers marched across the 38th parallel. The darkness had returned.
For decades they had been imperialized by Japan and after being free, they were fighting for their lives once again. This time against each other: Korea, torn apart once again by the proxy battle of the powerful nations Soviet Russia and the United States. A country that was supposed to be rebuilding itself, a country that was supposed to be celebrating, was telling brother to kill brother. The nation that had just been revived was being torn apart.
The North side of Korea was now called Bal gang ee, not a brother, not a human, and thus deserving of a level of violence never even employed against the Japanese oppressors.
Yoo Huan Joon fought as a South Korean and American soldier as part of KATUSA in the Korean War. He was known as baby Joon as he was so small that the uniform could not fit him properly. Though he does not give the details of what he witnessed because of the brutality, here is what history says: the war killed
경운장학회 관계자들은“대회를 거듭할수룩 응모 학생들이 많아지 고, 툭히 외국계 학생들도 늘어 한국에 대해 올바를 인식을 갖게하는 등 교육적 효과가 크다. 우리 학생들이 학교에서 배우지
월등하게 커졌다고 스스로 기뻐하고
말 했다. 웅변대회에 대한 질문은 이메일 speech@kscholarship.org, 또는 전 화 734-657-6951, 631-513-5438으로 문의하면 된다.
뉴욕일보는 예년과 같이 경운장학회 영어웅변대회의 가치를 높이 평가하여 올해도 입상자들의 원고를 전재한다.
“…AsIlookatourpastinthecurrentprosperityofKorea, Iamremindedofthedutywe havetohonor, weep, andmournfortheKoreanWar. Thesoulswholivedthrough colonialismwentthroughthewar, sawtheircountrydestroyedandsplitup, butcontinued tofighttobringuswherewearetoday. Koreawentfrombeingworthonly67 USdollarsper capitatobeingchosentohostthe1988 Olympicsjust35 yearsafterthewartonowbeing the13thrichestcountryintheworld. SuchaCinderellastorywaspossiblenotbecauseof somemagichelpfromafairygodmotherbutbecauseofrealpeoplelikemygrandfather. Unfortunately, in2024, theirstoriesriskfadingintooblivion. Inacknowledgingourshared history, weensurethatthesacrificesofYooHuanJoonandcountlessothersarenot forgotten, allowingtheirlegacytoendureforgenerationstocome.”
approximately 4 million Koreans with a bigger proportion of civilian deaths than the Vietnam War or World War II. It obliterated both lives and livelihoods. When the war ended in 1953, Korea was the 2nd poorest country in the world with a GDP per capita of $67 in
US dollars.
In the midst of this destruction, Baby Joon was granted the prestigious Bronze Star Medal from President Truman of the United States because despite his size, he saved more than 200 soldiers from death, bringing them from
the battlefield to a medic for immediate help. This fearless soldier also brought forth life of his own, with 5 kids, the maknae being my mom.
As of today, my grandfather, Yoo Huan Joon, is 92 years old. It is because of his sacrifices that me and my 2 sisters were able to be born and live in America. We are able to live good lives receiving good education with my sisters having gone to ivy league schools. It is because of not just his sacrifices but also the other Korean War soldiers who allowed us, the future generation, to prosper. To this day, as I ask him about the war, his response is pantomiming, shooting a gun and laughing. He cannot bear to explain to his youngest grandson the story about the tragedies and the friends that he lost.
As I look at our past in the current prosperity of Korea, I am reminded of the duty we have to honor, weep, and mourn for the Korean War. The souls who lived through colonialism went through the war, saw their country destroyed and split up, but continued to fight to bring us where we are today. Korea went from being worth only 67 US dollars per capita to being chosen to host the 1988 Olympics just 35 years after the war to now being the 13th richest country in the world. Such a Cinderella story was possible not because of some magic help from a fairy godmother but because of real people like my grandfather. Unfortunately, in 2024, their stories risk fading into oblivion. In acknowledging our shared history, we ensure that the sacrifices of Yoo Huan Joon and countless others are not forgotten, allowing their legacy to endure for generations to come. Thank you.
곡천(谷泉) 박원희(朴元喜) <뉴저지 레오니아 거주 프라미스교회 장로 미주 크리스찬문학가협회 회원>
“ … 지켜온 신앙만을 굳게 믿고 의지함으로 / 주님 부르실
받으리라”
10여년 전 콘도 유니트 보험 (CondoUnitOwner’ s Policy=HO6)을 들고 있는 어떤 보험가입자가 문의전화를 걸어왔
다. 저녁 6시경 가족들이 모여서
식사를 하고 있는데 오랜만에 방 문한 처남이 물이 졸졸 새는 화장 실 욕조 수도꼭지를 고쳐준다고
만지다가 터져서 갑자기 불난 집
처럼 난리가 났다는 것이다. 황급
히 수퍼(Superintendent)를 불러
워터 메인(WaterMain)을 차단 하고 배관작업(Plumbing)을 하
여 콸콸 쏟아지는 물은 멈췄는데, 아래층 사는 사람이 올라와서 불 평을 했다는 것이다.
◆ 콘도 유니트 보험은 주택보험의 일종이다
주택보험(Homeowner’ s Policy)은 1-3가구 소유자가 직 접 거주하는 주택을 보험에 드는 일종의 종합보험(Package Policy)으로서 기본형(Basic Form=HO-1), 중간형(Broad Form=HO-2), 특별형(Special
가는 세월이 어느 새 훔처갔나봐
이리 저리로 모든 것을 잃어버린 자 가난뱅이 쓸모없는 퇴물이 되었으나
이제 내게 남은 허술하게 시들어가는
육신에 매이지 말고
지켜온 신앙만을 굳게 믿고 의지함으로
주님 부르실 때 예 저 여기 있나이다 빈 마음으로 인사드리고
주님 앞에 바로 서서 인도 받으리라
Form=HO-3) 등이 있고, 이 밖 에 세입자형(Renter’ s Policy=HO-4), 콘도나 코압 소 유자형(CondoUnitOwner’ s Policy=HO-6) 등이 있다. 종합보험이라는 뜻은 재산에 대한 보험(PropertyCoverage) 과 책임에 대한 보험(Liability Coverage)이 한 보따리 안에 함 께 묶여있는 보험이라는 뜻이다. 따라서 주택보험은 주택 건물 (Dwelling), 부속 건물 (AppurtenantStructure: garage, toolshed, etc), 개인 재 산(PersonalProperty: furniture, fixture, personalbelongings, etc), 사용의 상실(LossofUse) 등 재산을 여러 가지 손실의 원인 (CausesofLoss)이 되는 위험요 소(Perils)에 대해서 보험을 들뿐 만 아니라, 주택 소유자의 법적 책임(LegalLiability)에 대한 보
험도 포함하고 있는 종합보험의 전형이다.
◆ 이래서 보험은 들어놔야 한 다 이 고객의 경우 자기 아파트의 재산피해보다는 자기 실수로 아 래층 아파트에 입힌 손실에 대한 책임이 더 큰 문제였다. 우리는 이 사고를 즉시 보험회사에 보고 했고, 보험회사는 손실조정사 (Adjuster)를 내보내서 조사한 다음, 아래층 아파트 소유자에게 는 5,116 달러, 자기 아파트 손실 에 대해서는 1,211 달러를 물어주 었다. 이 고객이 낸 보험료는 고작 1 년에 215 달러로 대략 30년 동안 내야 할 보험료를 하루아침에 까 먹은 셈인데, 이 사건을 통해서 이 고객은 보험이 얼마나 좋은 것 인지 확실히 알게 되었다.
