A Touching Scene

It was a quite amazing scene shown in a photo that was recently reported on the news dated on November 21, 2019. It was a beautiful scene that the US Ambassador to Seoul, Mr. Harry Harris( former commander of the US Pacific Command) was kneeling down to greet a legendary figure, former ROKA general Paik Sun-yop, the Korean War hero particularly back in the early 1950s.

When the general in a wheelchair was greeted courteously by the US Ambassador to Korea and the US military commanders including the new commander of the US Forces Korea (USFK) general Robert B. Abrams, the old war hero was just entering into the National Defense Convention Center in Yongsan, Seoul, Korea where a surprising celebration party sponsored by the US Eighth Army stationing in Korea was about to be held on the occasion of his 98th birthday.

Needless to emphasize, in this connection, one of our government organizations for instance, the Ministry of Defense should have prepared such a banquet in advance for the larger-than-life war hero by inviting domestic and foreign celebrities including the US representatives. In our country, general Paik's patriotic achievements deserve respectful treatment with the highest level of courtesy.

In light of this, it has become a matter of regret that such a celebration event for the national war hero was first honored by the USFK not by the ROK side. It is a case of putting the cart before the horse. Anyway, the United States Forces Korea(USFK) should receive a generous share of praise from fellow citizens of South Korea for the courteous reception given to the legendary figure. God bless America!