Greetings Readers,
As written to friends a few days ago, I have visited very near the Korean demilitarization area a hundred times and taken it into account. Marketing was my position then, and once managed the First Cavalry Division’s headquarters post exchange for a brief time, so it would have been a lot more than merely a hundred. Actually though it was only a few times to visit the Panmounjom’s conference center and gaze over the border onto North Korea’s propaganda model village in the distance, and to hear the blaring laud speakers disseminating the communist party line.
It is a very brave and dangerous attempt to traverse the heavily guarded DMZ itself. The soldier was shot five times and badly wounded during his escape, and as I write is in ICU on life support. I wonder why he endangered himself so foolishly to escape the ‘Worker’s Paradise’ ?
There is a story here, but only one of many. There have been hundreds, perhaps thousands, of attempts for decades to cross over the DMZ to freedom by those who stepped on landmines, were captured or were shot dead. One never hears of those. What will happen to this soldier’s family and friends? By this time they are all in prison or dead. There is not much doubt or wonderment about that one.
All the best to you.
Ron Miller