Childhood Dog Tag Hunts

Country "A": “We don’t study that.”  “No, our teachers never talk about it.” “I may have heard about it in a movie but not at school.”

Country "B": “Oh, yes, we learn about it starting in grade school.” “It’s taught as a great victory.” “We study it in detail."

Living in Korea for the past two-and-a-half years, I’ve asked many questions and received many answers. As someone who’s researching and writing a book about the Korean War (specifically the Battle of Chosin and the Hungnam Evacuation), I’ve made it a priority to interview, talk with, and listen to my Korean friends, neighbors, and colleagues. It’s one of the main reasons why I’m here, and they’ve taught me a lot.

But the more I learn about Korea, unfortunately, the more I realize I'll never totally understand this successful, dynamic, and complex country. I don’t speak the language; I’m not an historian or journalist; and I’m not an “expert.” I have, however, become somewhat of an amateur detective, a novice sleuth and aspiring writer of sorts.

And I’m also a career educator. Teaching is in my blood, and whenever I'm invited to give a presentation to middle, high school, or university students, I jump at the opportunity. I’m always impressed with these young Koreans and their work ethic. Regrettably, I don’t always feel the same about their curriculum.

Nearly all the South Korean students and young people I’ve met have a sketchy understanding of the Korean War. When asked about the three-year conflict that ravaged their country (and is technically not over), they rarely have more than a superficial understanding of what happened from 1950-‘53. They’ve memorized a few key dates and facts, but their knowledge is limited.

OK, maybe some of their answers are lost in translation, and they’re embarrassed to speak in English. But there’s more to it than that. When every student replies “No” when asked if they study the Battle of Chosin at school, we’re dealing with more than just a communication problem.

After giving them a brief overview of the epic struggle at Chosin, or Changjin, Reservoir, students usually respond: “Maybe since it's an ‘American’ battle we don’t cover it.” Or "It was a defeat, right? Since it was a loss, maybe it’s not included in our textbooks.”

It’s disheartening to hear their excuses, but I don’t blame them. The Korean education system is at fault. The way the Korean War is taught (what do you emphasize, what do you omit, and from what perspective do you tell the story) has always been an ideological battle between the left and right in Korea. Tragically, the facts about who, what, where, when, and why are becoming casualties of a political fight.

Dead US Marines and soldiers at Chosin (Photo credit: US Marine Corps)

Earlier this month in a Korea Times editorial, the newspaper’s board brought attention to a recently submitted draft revision of Korea’s secondary school history textbook guideline:

The state-run Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation eliminated reference to the North Korean invasion [of June 25, 1950] and instead called for “looking into the background of the war and the process of its development," thus making it vague which side started the war.

Obviously, not only are significant Korean War battles being deleted from South Korean textbooks, but there are now also calls to re-examine which side started the war. What? As a history teacher I’m perplexed.

But things are much different above the 38th parallel.

Since December of last year, I’ve met and talked with two North Korean defectors, a man in his twenties who escaped in 2009 and is now a university student in New York, and a middle-aged woman who defected in 2007 and lives in Seoul. When I asked them questions about the Korean War, their responses were identical. For North Koreans, they told me, studying the war is one of the most important aspects of their education.

That’s not surprising. According to the Kim regime, the North, more specifically Kim Il-sung, won the war. Indoctrinating North Korean children is paramount to keeping this myth alive and education is the key. For Kim Jong-un and his minions, the glorious victory over the South - and its evil occupier, the US - must be taught and remembered by all.

And then I ask about Chosin. “Oh, yes," they say. “We studied it carefully." They were repeatedly told that Chosin was one of the greatest DPRK victories of the war. It’s the battle where North Koreans (not Chinese), under the brilliant leadership of Kim Il-sung, fought and defeated the Americans and demonstrated their superhuman bravery and fortitude.

But I recently heard something even more disturbing. The female defector I talked with said that as young girl she would visit the mountains around Chosin and look for metal tags (she couldn’t recall the English word). Students, she remembered, would spend hours roaming the mountains searching for these hidden gems. If one was found it was like winning the lottery.

I immediately realized what she was talking about and asked, "Were they dog tags?” as I made a small, oblong circle with my fingers. “Yes!” she replied.

In a strange and sad twist of history, many key events of the Korean War are being eliminated and “revised" in South Korea, while they’re being manipulated and glorified in North Korea. I understand why the latter is happening but not the former.

It’s time for Korean War veterans and their families to make their voices heard. The Korean War must not be forgotten, and most importantly, must not be repeated. Telling the story – the accurate story – of those who fought and died during the conflict is part of the healing and peace process. Let’s all do our part.