'So...Emma Teacher, North Korea, should I worry?''Hmmm....North Korea, they're silly but I don't think they are so silly'
When the news of North Korea bombing Yeonpyeong Island reached my staff room the response amongst my Korean co-workers was one of mild frustration and amusement rather than major concern and anger. Judging by the international news coverage and the many messages of concern (thank you, I was very touched) it seems that the events were more hyped outside of Korea rather than inside. Not to say that it passed us by completely, it's more that people seemed relativity unphased/unsurprised. Most Koreans that I have talked to want reunification and know that conflict will be part of the process. Technically the war is not over, this is just prolonged armistice.
Funnily enough the most interesting reaction to the North Korean attack came from my class of 7 year old boys. In the days following the attack, totally unprompted (Not that these little toughnuts need any kind of motivation to fill they sketch books with guns, tanks and jets.) they began to draw very animated pictures of South Korea blowing North Korea to smithereens. When I talked to my Korean co-teacher about this, her reply was simple: 'Jeannie, we have a bloody history'
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