Retired captain to begin new life as volunteer

By Kwon Ji-youn

Kwon O-hak

Kwon O-hak, 71, is about to begin his second life. Having spent half his life on the sea fighting waves, loneliness and pirates, Kwon hopes to spend the remainder of his life as a volunteer.

The former Navy captain was recently accepted by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), an organization exclusively responsible for extending governmental development grants. Global volunteering is part of the organization’s vision.

Kwon, also a Vietnam War veteran, is the oldest volunteer selected since KOICA revoked its age limit of 62 this year.

He said he applied to KOICA because he thought global volunteering was equivalent to helping society and the development of the country.

“I’m happy to have been given this opportunity to volunteer at KOICA,” Kwon said in an interview with The Korea Times Friday. “I believe this is my last chance to enhance national prestige, so I will pass on all my knowledge and talents.”

“I am also very grateful to KOICA for selecting me among others.”

“I’ve traveled to more than 100 countries,” Kwon continued. “I can still remember the deprived children who lived in the harsh rural areas of the Dominican Republic.”

Kwon remembered his own experience of poverty when he was in second grade as the Korean War broke out in 1950. Later he joined the Navy to help his family.

Kwon spent 13 years serving his country then, in 1974, became a crewmember at a Japanese shipping agency. In 1987, he was made captain.

“I’ve had three near-death experiences,” he said. “Once in the Vietnam War, and twice when our ship was hijacked by pirates. I barely got away by forking over our emergency fund.”

In 2004, he left the sea-faring life. Unwilling to accept money from his children, he entered a lifelong education institution then went on to study at Hankyong University in 2010.

Having spent almost half his life on the water, Kwon said there were times his wife was left home alone.

“I felt sorry for leaving my wife at home alone all the time,” Kwon said, although he is about to do so again. “I’m leaving for Uzbekistan alone, too. I plan to pour all my energy into teaching Uzbekistanis how to cultivate fruit and vegetable crops.”