Tuesday 11 September 2012

(Day 53) Hwaseong Immigration Detention Center-day 40

I finished the book on the history of money... boring when it gets into the math part of it, but the actual historical parts of it were interesting. Now, I'm reading a book about the Korean War. It's (purposely) from an American perspective, which can be annoying since it doesn't include UN forces, but it's also not very flattering about South Korean allies. Some thing's mention so far (only on chapter two):

  • The Japanese system of comfort woman was maintained and utilized by South Korean soldiers during the war. 
  • The North Korean army tried to convert or brainwash POWs, but the South Korean army tortured and killed POWs and suspected collaborators.
  • The rebels of the Japanese occupation (1910-1948) were eventually the leaders and soldiers of North Korea, where as the Japanese collaborators made up the South Korean side

Now, anyone who has spent time with Koreans in Korea can attest to how much Koreans hate the  Japanese for the occupation, and any North Korean sympathies can actually get you jailed, so I find it ironic that the Koreans who actually fought for Korean independence are considered the enemies and Korean traitors are the good guys. There is a very popular drama on TV right now about a vigilante fighting the Japanese occupiers and collaborators, and idea that he's actually a communist would shock a lot of every day Koreans if they actually knew anything about history other than the propaganda fed to them since birth.

In other news, I had a medical check up. I'm 172 centimeters, 72 kilograms and have a blood pressure of 119/63 with a heart rate of 58 ppm, so I guess I'm healthy.

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