Delegates from the International Federation of Korean War Veterans Associations walk together before lunch at the residence of Prime Minister Han Seung-soo in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Monday. The veterans came to Korea to attend the federation’s general meeting on the occasion of the 58th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War which falls on Wednesday.
/ Yonhap |
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
More than half of teenagers here do not know when the Korean War broke out or who started it, showing ignorance about the country's history and national security.
The Ministry of Public Administration and Security said Monday that a survey of 1,016 middle and high school students showed nearly 57 percent didn't know the war started on June 25, 1950.
Moreover, 51 percent did not know that the war started with North Korea's invasion of the South. About 14 percent picked Japan as the nation responsible for the war; 13.4 percent, the United States, and 11 percent Russia. About 2 percent even said it was the South invading the North.
While the United States is regarded as the main ally of the country, 28 percent said it was the key ``threat'' for national security, 4 percentage points higher than North Korea.
Only 56 percent said they felt threatened by the North's nuclear weapons development, adding that the chance of another Korean War taking place was very low.
``Some say the liberal government, which held power for the past 10 years, did not teach children enough about the war and the current status of Korea but focused on reconciliation of the two Koreas,'' said Baek Seung-joo of the Korea Institute for Defense Analysis.
``The youth's typical individualism and indifference to big issues brought about such a change in perception,'' he said.
He said the removal of the term ``main enemy,'' indicating North Korea, from the Defense White Paper in 1995 seems to have contributed to weakening awareness of national security among the youth.
The survey was conducted to commemorate the 58th anniversary of the Korean War that falls on Wednesday.
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