Meeting Mr. President
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By Dan C. Pak
As I was watching the press conference of President Barack Obama and President Park Geun-hye at the White House on Oct. 16, my mind drifted off to a memorable event long ago. It was December 1967 when I had the honor and privilege of meeting then President Park Chung-hee.
At that time, I was on Okinawa, working as a U.S. Army civilian. The island was under United States military administration. The U.S. Army Ryukyu Island Command (USARYS) at Fort Buckner had visitors from Seoul on a regular basis. They were mostly military leaders. One of my duties was to conduct command briefings for the visiting dignitaries.
It was a few days before Christmas in 1967 when USARYS called me at home in the evening. I was told to proceed to the Naha Air Base to meet up with Lieutenant General Ferdinand T. Unger. The caller did not provide any other details. I sensed that something unusual was up in the air.
General Unger was the commanding general of all U.S. forces on the Ryukyu Islands that included Okinawa. He was simultaneously the U.S. High Commissioner over the local population. The general was waiting for me at the Air Base. I was then told that President Park Chung-hee had arrived from Seoul just a few minutes earlier.
When General Unger and I stepped onto the plane, we were greeted by Chief Protocol Officer Cho Sang-ho and Chief Presidential Bodyguard Park Chong-gyu. Shortly thereafter, President Park appeared.
When the President slowly approached me, I noticed that his diminutive stature reached only to just above my jaw. Almost instinctively ― more like out of a conditioned reflex ― I bent my knees to lower my 5 feet 11 inch frame to avoid embarrassment. He extended his hand and our hands briefly touched. It was more like a hand touch than a handshake. Nevertheless, I felt thrilled for having been given an opportunity to meet the President in person.
President Park was on his way to Sydney, Australia, to attend the funeral service for the late Prime Minister Harold Holt of Australia who drowned in a swimming accident. Unfortunately, despite an extensive search, his body was never recovered.
President Park’s plane stopped in Okinawa for refueling. After a brief exchange of greetings, General Unger offered to escort the presidential party to the Naha Officer’s Club for relaxation. When the President consented, the bodyguards sprang into action. At the terse command of their chief, they scurried off the plane to do their job.
Despite the news blackout of the unexpected visit, a photographer from the local newspaper was there to meet the plane. General Unger led the way down the ramp in front of the President. Chief Protocol Officer Cho, Chief Bodyguard Park, and I followed. The photographer took a snap shot of us. The photograph was on the front page the next day with a report of the visit.
It took only about 10 minutes to arrive at the Officer’s Club by sedan. Although dressed in a civilian suit, President Park carried on with his military bearing. His footsteps were measured and crisp. He returned a stiff salute to the military police.
As soon as we took our seats in a small room, the President began smoking. He was a chain smoker. Cho Sang-ho sat next to the President and kept lighting up Lucky Strike cigarettes for him. I was by the side of General Unger. Matsuoka, chief executive of the local government, was seated on my right. He was a subordinate to General Unger, U.S. High Commissioner.
The President spoke calmly and confidently about his vision for national economic development. Cho translated for General Unger and I translated for Matsuoka in Japanese. When he spoke about the chronic food shortage in the farming villages, his deep concern over the plight of the poverty-stricken farmers was profound. The informal meeting lasted about an hour. Throughout, the President maintained a ramrod straight posture. His straight back never wavered right or left.
The extraordinary demeanor apparently caught General Unger’s attention. He leaned over to me and whispered, “I wish I could sit up like that!” As if on cue, Matsuoka on my right also leaned over to me and said, “Your President is not an ordinary man. I have never seen anyone like that before!”
The unforgettable meeting took place nearly 50 years ago, but it is deeply etched in my memory. The precious photo is kept in my treasure chest for posterity. I witnessed the transformation of South Korea’s economy into that of a prosperous nation under President Park’s leadership, as much of the vision he discussed with us that day was realized. I was deeply grieved when he was assassinated in 1979.
The writer is a Korean War veteran and author of the novel, “The Wood Bracelet,” published in January 2015. He can be reached at dc.p@mindspring.com.