Singer Kim Jang-hoon, second from right, and children from Yeonpyeong Island sing during a peace concert at the sports stadium on the island, Sunday with the hope of reviving harmony on the shelled island along the western border. / Yonhap

By Chung Min-uck

Singer Kim Jang-hoon and a volunteer group of university students held a peace concert at Yeonpyeong Island last Sunday to erase the previous image as a place representing the conflict between South and North Korea.

Just one day before Memorial Day, over 500 residents gathered at the island’s sports stadium to see Kim and other artists such as popera (pop and opera) star Lim Hyung-joo perform.

All the performers wished for prolonged peace on the Island and the audience answered with a roaring applause.
“We declare Yeonpyeong Island a land of peace!”cried out Kim and the members of the volunteer group known as V Expedition.

As for the purpose of the concert Kim said, “I felt that Yeonpyeong Island is being deprived of attention after the attack. So I thought of bringing back the attention and arranging a gathering with the people here.”

Last November, North Korea fired dozens of coastal artillery shells onto the island along the western border, killing two South Korean marines, two civilians and destroying some 70 homes.

Kim and the members of V Expedition first met during a charity bazaar for the children of the shelled island and decided to hold the peace concert.

Currently 16,000 students participate in V Expedition. Last year the volunteer group proceeded with projects such as “Miracle Santa” for the children of Yeonpyeong and conducted a Seoul Campus tour for middle and high school students earlier this year.