The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream'

  • 3

    Korea to scrap customs form for travelers without dutiable goods

  • 5

    INTERVIEWForeign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry

  • 7

    College students turn to 1,000 won breakfast to beat inflation

  • 9

    Korean aesthetics, spirit live on at Gyeongbok Palace

  • 11

    Chun Woo-won apologizes to Gwangju victims, calls grandfather 'criminal'

  • 13

    Koreans warned against making inappropriate videos in Thailand

  • 15

    BTS Jimin breaks record for K-pop soloist with 'Face'

  • 17

    'Me': BLACKPINK's Jisoo off to smooth start as solo artist

  • 19

    Gwangju's popular Alleyway restaurant resurrects

  • 2

    Children, pregnant women executed, tortured in North Korea: report

  • 4

    BLACKPINK, TXT, Stray Kids: K-pop stars headline international music festivals

  • 6

    NewJeans, Apple join hands to bring immersive audio experience

  • 8

    Rare Joseon-era map returns home from Japan

  • 10

    Seventeen to drop new EP next month

  • 12

    Celebrity chef Paik Jong-won takes his business skills to next level with 'The Genius Paik'

  • 14

    Carmakers unveil latest models at Seoul Mobility Show

  • 16

    South Korea nominates new ambassador to US

  • 18

    Japanese top visitors to Korea in 2023 as tourism rebounds

  • 20

    SM Entertainment founder looks to future as company appoints new management

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Sat, April 1, 2023 | 18:57
Thoughts of the Times
Incheon Landing, Gen. MacArthur, & my brother
Posted : 2017-10-29 16:40
Updated : 2017-10-29 16:40
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Maija Rhee Devine

To millions, a nuclear cloud hovers over the "Land of Morning Calm." Verbal missiles volley, "total destruction" from President Trump and the "highest measures against Washington" from N. Korea. A South Korean anti-American faction hammers away 24/7. An antidote, anyone?

Affection! I take a dose of the affection Korean Navy seaman Soon-bak Rhee, my older brother, kept glowing from the age of 17 for General Douglas MacArthur. Millions of South Koreans also fanned idolatry-like admiration for the General during the War and afterwards — for his Incheon Landing and pushing northerly to seize reunification.

Had Soon-bak, the young Navy equivalent of "Radar" in M*A*S*H, lived, he would have visited the Freedom Park in Incheon on September 15, the 67th anniversary of the Incheon Landing. There, he paid homage to General MacArthur twice a month for 55 years — ever since General's statue was dedicated October 3, 1957.

"Communications Specialist Rhee Soon-bak reporting, sir!" Then, he snapped a salute, his heart knocking again his rib cage, proud of having fought under the magic wand of General MacArthur during the pre-landing operations on Yonghung-do Island. There, in September, 1950, South Korean Marines, fighting alongside Soon-bak, took the island and planted their national flag. Soon-bak returned to his PC703, one of 261vessels deployed for the Operation Chromite, for his midnight shift. At dawn, news tore his heart. After Incheon's 30-foot tide receded, N. Korean soldiers treaded across the mudflats and killed all the Marines Soon-bak left behind. He lived another 60 years, agonizing about what he could accomplish that was worthy of his fallen comrades.

On September 11, 2005, four days before the 55th anniversary of the Incheon Landing, demonstrators intent on smashing down the MacArthur statue violently clashed with police. Soon-bak and his fellow veterans kept a vigil and protected the General's image from being axed, as Stalin's was in 1989.

Once, I watched Soon-bak place white mums at the base of the statue. He poured makkolli rice wine into a cup for the General and bowed.

"Affection's burning in you," I said.

He poured makkoli into his own cup and sipped it.

"Affection? Gen. Mac was the greatest, brilliant man! How dare you say he is the object of emotion from my puny little heart?"

Then he talked to the American General, Soon-bak's voice mellow, as he asked his hero's opinion of the candidates in an upcoming ROK presidential race.

"The best for our country?" my brother asked. "A man like you, who'd die trying to reunite our two Koreas."

When he asked the General to watch over his grand baby's safe birth, as though the General's brilliance covered obstetrics, I smiled.

In the movie I produce in my mind, the ROK and UNC troops take full-body blood baths, the Korean Marines get tomahawked out of existence while celebrating their victory, and in his heart, Soon-bak takes the General to his grave, because the General desired reunification for Korea in the WORST way — as much as South Koreans did. As my movie ends, I say, "Affection."


Maija Rhee Devine (www. MaijaRheeDevine. com) authored an autobiographical novel about living through her parents' son-preference-motivated polygamy and the Korean War, "The Voices of Heaven," and a poetry book, "Long Walks on Short Days."


 
Top 10 Stories
1Chun Woo-won apologizes to Gwangju victims, calls grandfather 'criminal' Chun Woo-won apologizes to Gwangju victims, calls grandfather 'criminal'
2Koreans warned against making inappropriate videos in Thailand Koreans warned against making inappropriate videos in Thailand
3Gwangju's popular Alleyway restaurant resurrectsGwangju's popular Alleyway restaurant resurrects
4Ambassador offers taste of Ghana to Korea Ambassador offers taste of Ghana to Korea
5[INTERVIEW] North Korean defectors bear brunt of remittance scams INTERVIEWNorth Korean defectors bear brunt of remittance scams
6Korea ready to greet BIE inspection team Korea ready to greet BIE inspection team
7Gimpo airport to launch care service for dogs Gimpo airport to launch care service for dogs
8Yoon gov't disputes Japanese media's claims about summit Yoon gov't disputes Japanese media's claims about summit
9Regulators urge financial groups to minimize interest rate hikes Regulators urge financial groups to minimize interest rate hikes
10Mirae Asset, SK Telecom team up for security token businessMirae Asset, SK Telecom team up for security token business
Top 5 Entertainment News
1IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream' IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream'
2BLACKPINK, TXT, Stray Kids: K-pop stars headline international music festivalsBLACKPINK, TXT, Stray Kids: K-pop stars headline international music festivals
3[INTERVIEW] Foreign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry INTERVIEWForeign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry
4NewJeans, Apple join hands to bring immersive audio experience NewJeans, Apple join hands to bring immersive audio experience
5Celebrity chef Paik Jong-won takes his business skills to next level with 'The Genius Paik' Celebrity chef Paik Jong-won takes his business skills to next level with 'The Genius Paik'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group