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Mike's Adventures in Korea 1994

Part 8: A Return to Seoul

So, after spending another week at the base, we finally get word that there is no longer need for two of us to be over in Korea for an extended period of time, and since Jim was married and had a family, it was decided that he should be allowed to go home, while I would remain behind for support.

So, when Jim got his orders to go home, we went out and celebrated and then went to go to Seoul to stay with my aunt and uncle, who were stationed at the Army base up in Seoul.  After spending the night up there, they drove Jim out to the airport so that he could go home.

After dropping Jim off, we went to the Korean War Museum.  Expecting this to be a museum devoted to the Korean war, I soon discovered that this was only a very small part of Korea's war history.  It began with the many attacks by both China and Japan throughout their history and ended with what is the latest Korean war.

One of the interesting things I learned is that the Koreans were the first to invent the iron-clad warship.  In history class, we were always told that the first iron-clad warships were the Merrimack and Monitor, but the Koreans had been using iron-clad warships about 300 years earlier.  These iron-clad warships were called "turtleboats" and used iron spikes on the top and sides of the boats to keep ninjas from jumping over onto the boats and killing people on-board them.

A turtleboat.  Note the iron spikes on the top of the boat to keep invaders from jumping onto the top of it!

Another view of the turtleboat.  The dragon head looked almost like that of a Viking ship.

But, of course, there was quite a display about the Korean War of the 50s.

No Korean War Museum would be complete without a diorama of the Korean War.

Then, we toured around outside.  They had a Scud missile, which is just like the ones the North Koreans likely had stationed on alert at that exact moment about 30 miles away.

The closest I hope I ever come to a Scud missile.

After that, I said goodbye to my aunt and uncle and returned to Osan.

Continue on to Part 9: UFG