Korea's Big Bang

We owe this day off to the opening of the sky. It was on this day, many centuries ago, that Korea's sad history began, or so they say. Korea's first inhabitants were sent from above and now we celebrate them with a holiday. But most South Koreans are either unaware of the significance of the day or don't believe the ancient Adam and Eve-Esq story anymore. Koreans could use this annual break to think back and remember all those who wronged them in the spirit of imperialism. Or they, or we, could celebrate all we've accomplished and our recent peace and comfort south of the division. Or we could all meet in some lecture hall to plan the reconciliation of this divided peninsula. Instead most, myself included, will just shop and sleep. For my part, I did guide my conversation class through a North Korean debate last night. This as many international news programs focused on the first meeting between S. Korea's soon to be retired president and Team America's star, Kim Jung Il.

We hope this meeting will bear fruit, but the natives here are unable to be so hopeful. They know their president sees the end of his term coming and he's concerned with his legacy. At this point, I had to stop and define 'legacy' for them. All powerful leaders must be cognizant of their legacies, we concluded. And so maybe George Bush really believes God chose him to give freedom to the world. Foolish, but not evil. But how about Kim Jung Il's legacy? Can he really believe that, by isolating and starving his people, he's somehow protecting them? Then, as often happens, my students taught me a few things. Kim Jung Il, they say, really doesn't have adequate power to save North Korea. Like Bush, he's controlled by his rich administration and they refuse to risk their wealth and power to open up North Korea. Thus, as one student said, Kim Jung Il, the 'King of the Beggars,' and thought to be a descendant of God in N. Korea, doesn't even control his own legacy. Still, it doesn't hurt to be hopeful like CNN and the rest of the world.