[영문 번역] Gorgeous Air Show, While the Weapons May Kill People...

* Image source: Pyeongtaek Peace Center 평택 평화 센터

* Image Source: Pyeongteak Peace Center 평택 평화 센터

* Below is unofficial translation of the site below.

Pyeongteak Peace Center 평택 평화 센터

화려한 에어쇼, 그 무기들이 사람을 죽이기도 할 텐데...:
Gorgeous Air Show, While the Weapons May Kill People.

10월 21일 경기도 평택
Pyeongteak, Gyeonggi-do, Oct. 21, 2009

강상원, 평택 평화 센터 소장
Kang Sang Won, Director of the Pyeongteak Peace Center


평택 미 공군기지(OSAN AIR BASE)에서 에어쇼(AIR POWER DAY)가 열렸다.

The Air Show (Air Power Day) opened at the Osan Air Base[*Songtan AFB].

평택 미 공군기지에 활주로를 추가로 건설한다는 계획이 평택지역의 새로운 현안으로 부각되고 있는 요즘, 그 현장을 찾았다. 먼발치에서만 바라봐야 했던 기자에겐 1년에 단 2번 개방되는 절호의 기회(?)를 놓칠 수 없었기 때문이다.(참고로 평택미공군기지는 미국독립기념일과 에어쇼 기간에만 일반인에게 공개된다)

I visited the site(Songtan AFB) while the plan that was told that the new runaway would be constructed at the Pyeongteaek U.S. AFB has recently emerged as the new issue in the Pyeongteak region. For a reporter who had to see the site at a far distance, it was hard to miss the good(?) chance that he could enter in if not the site open only twice a year.(For reference, the site opens to the general public only on the United States Independence Day and Air show period)

도착과 함께 순간 머리 위로 날아가는 전투기소리에 놀란 가슴을 쓸어내려야 했다. 전투기가 내뿜는 굉음은 직접 경험해보지 않으면 이해하기 어렵다. 이런 끔찍한 소음에 365일 무방비상태로 노출되었던 주민들을 떠올리니 에어쇼가 달가울리 없다.

As soon as I arrived there, I had to sweep down my chest shocked by the fighter planes flying overhead. It is very hard to understand the uproarious noise of the fighter planes unless one directly experiences it. It was not welcoming, reminding the village people who had to be exposed with no defense at such horrible noise for 365 days.

소지품과 온몸을 수색당하고 입장한 행사장에는 뉴스와 사진에서만 보던 무시무시한 전쟁무기들이 전시되어 있었다. 각종 지대공미사일,페트리어트3(PAC3), A10, F15, F16전투기, U2정찰기 등...무수한 살상무기들이 그럴듯 포장되어 참가자들을 맞이하고 있었다.

In the event hall where I was searched with all my belongings and body to enter, lots of horrible war weapons that could be only seen in the news and photos were exhibited. All kinds of surface to air missile, Patriot3(PAC3), A10, F15, F16 fighter planes, U2 reconnaissance planes… numerous killing weapons were welcoming the visitors, staged in the plausible manner.

아니나 다를까 중앙무대에서는 "한-미양국의 군사력으로 공산주의국가를 막아낼 수 있었다"며 연신 한미동맹의 필요성과 주한미군주둔의 정당성을 엄청난 군사무기도입의 필요성을 역설하고 있었다.

Just as was expected, the speech in the center stage was such as, “We can prevent the communist state with the military power of the both nations of the ROK and the United States.” which was followed with the emphasis on the necessity of the import of the tremendous military weapons for keeping the need of the ROK-US alliance and for justification of the garrison for the United States Forces of Korea.

아이들과 함께 참석한 부모들은 각종 전쟁무기에 아이들을 손수 태우며 연신 사진을 찍는 모습을 볼 수 있었는데 '그 전쟁무기들이 이라크며 아프카니스탄 등 수 많은 나라의 국민과 재산을 파괴하는 무기이기도 하단다'라고 얘기해줄 수 있는 부모들이 몇이나 될까? 부질없는 생각을 지울 수 없었다.

The parents who visited the site with their children could be shown to take the photos riding their children on all kinds of the war weapons. I could not erase my useless thought of how many parents there could tell their children that ‘The war weapons are those that destroy the numerous people and estate such as in Iraq and Afghanistan.’

평택시민의 고통과 아픔의 역사가 가려진 에어쇼. 그들에겐 호화로운 쇼였는지는 몰라도 난 오늘 억장이 무너졌다.

The air show behind which the history of the sufferings and pains of the Pyeongteak citizens were hidden. Even though it might have been an extravagant show for those people, my heart was heavily broken today.

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* For more photos and videos by the same writer with the same article, go to the Omynews. (Click here)