Happy Birthday to the Soldier Who Never Left

John Nowell in 1983

Stepping off the bus in January 1965, US Army Private First Class John Nowell, a 22-year-old California native who’d been drafted the year before, immediately knew Seoul wasn’t the place for him. The impoverished city of 3.2 million, with few cars, an abundance of ox-pulled carts, spicy food he didn’t like, and people he couldn’t…

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What’s in a Name?

War Memorial of Korea- Gallery of names of UN soldiers

We all have one, and although we have no choice in deciding what it’ll be, it’s permanent, staying with us from cradle to grave. It becomes a defining feature of our human character, and long after we’re gone, a memorial to what we did or didn’t do during our time on earth. Whether it’s chiseled…

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Honoring the Past

Lee In-Jae 6th grade friends, 1955.

They’re a loyal, fun-loving bunch. The former North Korean refugees, men now in their seventies and eighties, get together four times a year to have dinner, reminisce, sing, and give thanks for the opportunity to live in a free, democratic country. It all started five years ago when, on a whim, a few members of…

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Trump’s First Visit to Korea

Gen. Walton H. Walker statue at Camp Humphreys

It’s always fun to write a piece for The Korea Times, and when I was asked to contribute my views on Trump’s upcoming visit I jumped on the opportunity. As I point out in my article below, the ROK-US alliance is strong – and getting stronger. South Korea and the United States have agreed to increase…

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Ever Been to a Skygarden?

Poster of Seoullo at Seoul Station

Until this morning if anyone had asked me, “Have you ever been to a skygarden?” the answer would have been a quizzical, “Don’t think so,” followed by, “What’s a skygarden?” Now I know. Today, as I walked around downtown Seoul on a crisp, clear, October morning, I experienced Seoul’s new – it opened just a…

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The Power of the PEN

We’ve all heard the old adage, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Today, however, it seems a bit outdated. With instantaneous news feeds and social media tweets, posts, and shares bombarding us 24/7, the pen seems to have gone the way of the telegram, processed film, and the 8-track. “No one writes anymore,” people…

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May the Circle Be Unbroken

They boarded a ship on December 19, 1950, and never returned. None of them could have imagined on that fateful day 67 years ago that they were saying goodbye to family and friends – forever. But they survived. With the help of Dr. Hyun Bong-Hak, a Korean doctor who was determined to save them, and…

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A Day of Books

International publishing and education companies, book outlets, printing houses, 200 exhibitors from around the world, and – most importantly – books. What is it about browsing through shelves, counters, and stacks of books that makes many of us lose track of time and become lost in a world of ideas, stories, faraway places, and interesting…

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