From Korean War to armistice

By Jason Lim

Growing up in Korea, the Korean War was always referred to by the date when it started: 625, for June 25, 1950, the date when well-armed North Koreans invaded South Korea across the 38th parallel. Referring to important historic events by their dates is typical in Korea, so I never questioned that 625 was the definitive term we would use to refer to the Korean War.

However, more recently, the date 727 made its way into the mainstream narrative of the Korean War. July 27, 1953, was the date when the armistice was signed, pausing the Korean War that continues to this day. It was supposed to be followed by a treaty that would mark the official end of the war, but that never happened. Seeing that Koreans never refer to historic events by their end dates, how did 727 enter into the Korean War lexicon?

Well, I had the privilege to witness this process. There is an oft-quoted maxim by Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it's the only thing that ever has." In this case, however, it was essentially one person: Hannah Kim.

It was Hannah who first told me about the armistice date back in 2007 when she was about to start grad school at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She would also weave this date into a larger narrative about bringing recognition and honor to the veterans ― she would call them "grandfathers" ― of the forgotten war and even larger narrative about bringing peace to the Korean Peninsula.

It sounded preposterous even then. She didn't really have a strategy, let alone a plan to make this happen. What she did have was the unwavering belief in her vision and willingness to act upon it. She just did it. I don't exactly know what she did or how she did it, but she did it. This is what "it" includes so far.

Starting in 2008, Hannah organized an annual event on July 27 that gathers hundreds of people to light candles at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool at 7:27 p.m. to pay tribute to the sacrifices of Korean War veterans and to renew the call for peace on the peninsula.

In 2009, Hannah successfully lobbied to pass legislation that established July 27 as the National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day in the United States. I still remember watching in awe as American flags flew at half-mast around the Washington Monument for the first time.

This is when 727 started to gain mainstream legitimacy and widespread use in the Korean War lexicon. It was amazing to watch people start using these dates to talk about the armistice and the unfinished business of the Korean War. A simple date had the power to shift the narrative of the war from its beginning to its potential end, from blaming to reconciling, and from past pain to future potential.

Of course, nothing is so simple on the Korean Peninsula. The introduction of 727 didn't magically bring about peace. However, the storytelling about the war shifted fundamentally. It no longer had a hold on the Korean psychology as something that was currently happening. It was now something that happened that needed closure.

Most people would stop there. Hannah, however, after serving as chief of staff and communications director to Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) until his retirement, traveled the world across six continents and 26 countries in 2017 to personally meet and thank Korean War veterans from every country that participated.

She followed this up in 2018 with a visit to all 50 U.S. states to meet with the surviving Korean War veterans across America and raise awareness and funds to construct the Wall of Remembrance in Washington, D.C., that would engrave the names of those killed in the war, including the 7,200+ Korean soldiers killed as part of the Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army (KATUSA).

This past May during his visit to the U.S., President Moon Jae-in spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Wall of Remembrance.

As another July 27 approaches, Hannah has organized another event to raise even more awareness and help educate a new generation of young people about the sacrifices that underlie what Korea is today.

She launched the Worldwide Photo Essay and Video Contest for folks to submit pictures and captions or a video up to five minutes in length about the Korean War, offering $10,000 in prizes. Visit remember727.com to find more information. I am honored to serve as one of the 100 judges around the world.

When looking back at history, there is a certain inevitability to what happened. However, what I know now is that such inevitability comes from the actions and decisions of specific individuals to work for what they believe in despite what the world tells them.

We are taught to mock and pity the Don Quixotes of the world as they futilely charge at the windmills. On second thought, per-haps these Don Quixotes are the only ones that change the world.

Jason Lim (jasonlim@msn.com) is a Washington, D.C.-based expert on innovation, leadership and organizational culture.