Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
Citizens Pay Condolences to Sailors
'I Couldn’t Stop Crying Every Time I Watched the News'
By Kwon Mee-yoo
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
Lee Sun-ja, a 63-year-old housewife from Dobong, wiped her eyes continuously after paying her respects to the late sailors of the Navy warship Cheonan at a memorial altar set up in Seoul Plaza, Monday.
"I couldn't stop crying every time I watched news about the frigate," Lee said. "My son also performed his military service and I feel as if all these sailors were my sons."
She also empathized with the families of the missing sailors. "How must their family feel not even having the bodies of their beloved sons retrieved," Lee said.
It started to rain in the afternoon, but a long queue of people wanting to pay their respects remained.
Seoul City erected a memorial altar for the 46 dead and missing sailors of the sunken frigate Sunday. The ship broke into two parts and sank near Baengnyeong Island in the West Sea on the night of March 26.
As of Monday afternoon, 8,565 citizens had visited the altar to pay tribute to the dead sailors. The local government put up tents so mourners could avoid the rain.
Not only residents but also politicians lamented the deaths.
President Lee Myung-bak joined the stream of mourners.
Lee, accompanied by scores of his secretaries and Cheong Wa Dae staff members, visited the altar, laying a chrysanthemum in front of the portraits of the dead sailors, and lighting incense, during a moment of silence.
The presidential office set up a large placard reading "The Republic of Korea will never forget you, the 46 proud and brave warriors of the Cheonan" at its entrance.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Chung Un-chan announced a five-day national mourning period. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon also offered his condolences earlier in the morning.
Most of the visitors were of the older generation, drying their tears, but younger people also paid visits.
Lee Ji-eun, 17, a high school student, visited the altar with a camera in her hand. "I had something to do around here and thought I would offer my condolences to the late sailors," she said. "I still feel anxious that the cause of the incident is not yet known. I know the government is trying to clarify what happened, but there are so many unclear factors."
Citizens are split over the cause of the sinking of the ship.
Lee Sun-ja, the 63-year-old housewife, believes North Korea attacked it with a torpedo. "If it's not North Korea, then who else?" she asked.
However, an office worker who identified himself as Kim, 30, criticized the government and the military, saying they were trying to use the incident for political reasons.
"The precious lives of the sailors were taken away irrespective of the cause of the disaster. However, the government is too clumsy in coping with it," Kim said. "Why don't they mention the sacrifice of the trawler Geumyang 98, which went missing while searching for the Cheonan sailors? Paying respect to the deceased sailors is good, but isn't the government inciting patriotism for political reasons?"
There are 34 memorial altars for the dead sailors set up nationwide, including one at the 2nd Navy Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.
천안함 분향소, 시민들 조문 행렬
서울시는 46명의 천암함 희생 장병들을 추모하는 분향소를 25일 설치했다.
조문 하러 온 사람들은 26일 오후까지 6천2백5명에 달했다.
한편, 시민들 뿐만 아니라 정치계에서도 분향소를 찾아 고인의 넋을 위로했다.
이명박 대통령도 청와대 참모진과 함께 분향소를 직접 찾아 조문했으며 입구에 고인의 넋을 기리는 조문 현수막을 내걸었다.