Hello! My name is Dave Stastny. I am a Social Studies teacher at Gretna High School. I have taught American and World History there for the past 16 years. I have been visiting Seoul and taking a Korean language course for the past week. The language class has been a humble reminder of what it is like to be a student struggling to learn something for the first time. The people here have been gracious, patient, and polite as I’ve stumbled around trying to navigate the city and beginning to understand the language, customs, and culture. The food is fantastic. The public transportation system is efficient and easy to navigate. Seoul is a remarkable city.
Naturally, I am interested in Korean culture and history. I’ve come to understand the relationship between North and South Korea a bit deeper in my short time here. A visit to the DMZ was particularly illuminating. The two nations grow further apart socially, culturally, and economically with each passing year. The DMZ tour is filled with propaganda about the desire for a reunified Korea, but it is not at all certain that is still something South Korea really wants. The economic and social effects of reunification on Korea would take a heavy toll. There are also generational gaps on the issue. Our tour guide suggested that those old enough to remember the war still resent the North for what they did to their homes and families. Young people have grown up in a modern, economically developed Korea. Division is all that they have ever known and they too have no interest in reunifying with a North Korea people who are now so very different from themselves. Our guide suggested the greatest support for reunification comes from middle-aged Koreans. They recognize the (eventual) economic strength that could come from uniting North Korea’s agriculture with South Korea’s industry and technology. She also discussed how geographically isolated South Korea is from the rest of East Asia because of the division and sees reunification as the solution to that problem. The experience has given me a deeper appreciation for how complicated and nuanced the concept of Korean unification is. I intend to incorporate these fresh insights into my curriculum as we study the Korean War and its impacts.
Another observation is that there seems to be considerable respect for the law and authority. South Korea continues to have a mask mandate indoors. I have traveled through the subway stations daily, hit several restaurants and cafes, visited a number of cultural sites, done some shopping. I have yet to observe people disobeying the mandate. As an American who experienced some people raising Cain over mask mandates during the pandemic, the universal compliance is noticeable. I have seen this extended in other little ways. There is a distinct lack of public trash cans across the city. Despite this, Seoul may be the cleanest big city I have ever seen. I’ve rarely seen litter on the major streets or subways. Korea also has one of the lowest crime rates in the developed world. Quite simply, Koreans follow the rules. This phenomenon must be at least partially understood as a product of Korea’s Confucian roots, which stresses collective responsibility.. It presents a striking contrast to American individualism and I am fascinated to learn more as our journey continues.
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