About Commonwealth vets' return to Korea
By Vince Courtenay
.jpg)
For the 47th year in succession, veterans who served in the Korean War with the former British Commonwealth nations will visit Korea. They will be guests of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.
It is a most noble program that pays homage to all aging veterans from the UN allied forces who served in the war. It enables them to see this wonderful, energetic nation that blossomed from the war ravaged state it was in when they fought here.
The former amalgamation of nations is no longer called the British Commonwealth.
Each of the four principal countries is called a Commonwealth nation, but their affiliation with Britain is mostly symbolic. Each of them has absolute sovereignty, although they still keep the British Queen as their titular monarch and there are trade agreements and such.
In the cases of Australia, Canada and New Zealand, the people are no longer legal “British subjects,” as they were during the Korean War years.Now they are citizens of their own country with no legal attachment to Britain. They have passports issued by their own freely-elected governments. England, once their “mother country,” now is just a very good friend.
But when veterans from all four of those nations gather once again in Korea, as they first did more than 65 years ago to fight in the Korean War, there will be aresilient sense of togetherness. The old veterans march together those who can still march and they proudly wear their regimental or service badges, which are still adorned with the British crown.
There is something inexpressible about this sentimental, but very deep attachment to Queen Elizabeth II. She is called the Queen of their own four nations, but it is symbolic.
In Canada, for instance, she is officially designated as the Queen of Canada. Only the Canadian Parliament governs the nation, although there is symbolic royal approval granted for the various new bills, new medals, other things that affect the people.
Be assured that no citizen from either of the other three countries would tolerate any form of subjugation of their own nation’s governing apparatus by the elected British House of Commons or the peers of the realm in the House of Lords in England.
Yet, as in the United States, and to some extent in Korea, they all base their laws on British common law. Nobody quibbles with that. It is a time tested body of law wrought by centuries of blood and suffering and expresses a fairness demanded by the people who live under it.
Korea’s warmth for Elizabeth II
For some reason there an inexpressible feeling of warmth for Queen Elizabeth II exists among many Koreans, as well those with Commonwealth nation ties. For instance, two decades ago, many young women attending Korean colleges were spellbound by this notable woman. So were many high schools students.
Two decades ago the gold shops in Seoul’s Jongno-3 ga jewelry district all stocked likenesses of Elizabeth II, mostly in pure gold women’s rings, or in pendant necklaces or pendant bracelets.
A young woman who received a pure gold Elizabeth II ring or pendant from her boyfriend, or her family, was the envy of the entire college campus!
It was not just the value of the gold; it was an Elizabeth II gift of love and respect, set in the world’s most precious metal. It represented far more than gold a special kind of gold that cannot be bought or sold.
Without Queen’s knowledge
I began to tell her about it at a British Embassy garden party when she visited Korea for her 73rd birthday in 1999. That is the year in which she made Korea’s Chi Kap-chong, chairman of the United Nations Korean War Allies Association, a Member of the Order of the British Empire. It is the highest civilian honor Britain can confer on any individual for their public service.
Before I could explain about the gold rings and broaches that bear her likeness, the Queenquickly said that “the country has so much to offer.” Then she swished away to speak to somebody else.(One cannot chase after Queen Elizabeth II and tell her, “I had something else to say to you!”)
She was beautiful in her youth and she was on that same day and she is beautiful on the many golden likenesses that are still being sold here in Korea -to those who can afford to buy gold at the contemporary prices.
Veterans should celebrate Queen’s birthday
She is truly treasured gold to the soldiers who served in her armies.
When the Commonwealth soldiers first came here in 1950 they were sworn to serve the Queen’s father, King George VI. They did that dutifully, proudly.
When the King died in March, 1952, Elizabeth became the de facto Queen. Thereafter the soldiers served their beautiful new monarch dutifully, proudly, and also with deep affection.
She was their pride, and is so still, even now.
Elizabeth II will turn 91 on April 21, while the Commonwealth veterans are in Korea. Heretofore the veteran groups have not made much of her birthdays. However, the defence attaches at all four Commonwealth nations should give this special consideration. They should include some tribute to their resilient monarch, during the various ceremonies.
I will go even further in this. I would implore Korean people, especially very young people, to post events to celebrate the birthday of this most popular Queen on social media. The possibilities for celebration are endless: rush crowd mob rallies, school parties, afterwork parties.
Last year the Queen expressed to Korea’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom that she held dear her cherished memory of the birthday party that was held in Andong during her state visit to Korea in 1999.
For business and entrepreneurs there is value in this celebratory occasion. Pubs and restaurants could hold EIIR birthday bashes, using the Queen’s royal cipher as their symbol. Mixologists could develop special refreshments in her honor.
There could be Queen Elizabeth balls, Queen Elizabeth apparel and momentos, Queen Elizabeth floral arrangements. Korean confectioners and bakery chains could conjure EIIR birthday cakes as delicacies for the planned or impromptu parties.
It would certainly take the people’s minds off of themselves and what has happened in their government and other very unhappy things that have befallen the nation. Celebrating the life of that beautiful lady, that tower of strength who has personified the resilience and the goodness of all womanhood for the past 65 years would do it.
She has raised her family, stood tall against the public storms of politicians, kept her people rallied even while at war and much divided, and still stands firm today, with her 91st birthday upon her.
Honor for the veterans
Honoring the Queen on her birthday would also pay honor to those veterans from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. In a way it would pay honor to everyone who sacrificed for South Korea’s present freedom.
On April 23 the Commonwealth veterans will hold ceremonies commemorating the Battle of the Imjin River, and also the Battle of Gapyeong. In both cases Commonwealth troops kept huge enemy forces from closing on Seoul during the enemy’sgreat spring offensive in April, 1951.
The battles they fought are now much forgotten by publics around the world. They have never been known to younger generations.
In Korea there is no sign of the raging war, or of the spilled blood. The horrors the veterans knew live on only in their minds.
The Korean countryside and its cities and towns are resplendent and the people are safe, and they have many wonderful opportunities, both now, and aheadfor them.
Last time to say good-bye
For many of the old soldiers, sailors and airmen who return here in April, it will be their very last time to breathe Korean air, and to hear the voices of the free and vibrant Korean people. Each time a group visits Korea, some of the veterans who came soon fallto the ravages of time.
Every heart of those veterans from the Commonwealth nations will be filled with pride at having served their own country, and this country, and the United Nations in the worst war Korea experienced in five centuries. None was worse than the war of 1950-1953! The destruction and loss of life and suffering of the people exceeded all other times.
The veterans will come here with pride in their hearts, yet not as conquerors, or with vanity. They will come as sedate, retired gentlemen from their now fully independent home nations.
But while they are here they will meld together once again in that wonderful mix of soldiers who fought for the freedom or South Korea, and for the principles of human freedom and dignity.
Korea is veterans’ special nation
In truth, those veterans love this land for which they fought, although it gave them nothing but utter hardship and in many cases, destroyed their lives, or afflicted them forever.
But in many cases just ask one of them, as reporters are wont to do if the Republic of Korea was in military need once again, they would not hesitate to come back here in uniform, if that were possible.
They will always be “foreigners” to the people whose nation they helped to save. But they are far from foreigners.
In their hearts, Korea is their special nation, too.
They pass their love for Korea on to their own descendants and to others within their families and communities.
Their Queen, Elizabeth II, has high regard for the Korean nation and similarly she expresses her thoughts and her feelings to others at her exulted level of communication and to the people who still choose to honor her as their titular head of state, throughout the Commonwealth.
She is an excellent ally for the people, and a role model for people of all nations.
Vince Courtenay is a long-time auto journalist and spent much of 1994 and 1995 explaining the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to corporate clients and automotive industry associations.