[Incheon]Visiting the Wolmi Island and Legacy of War

* Image source: Hankyoreh, July 16, 2010
The 'Bereaved family members of [Wolmi Island] civilians killed during the U.S. air raids during the Korean War hold signboards requesting compensation from South Korean and U.S. governments, July 15. ' According to the article, the Bereaved families have continued more than 2000 day sit-in on Wolmi Island and have 'remained uncompensated for eviction during the war while a $23M park project is underway.' (For a related blog, click HERE)

The signboards say:
The City of Incheon that has robbed of the Wolmi Island should be responsible.
The US military should open all the materials (on the bombing), openly apologize about the civilian massacre incident and make reparation for it
-Civic Committee for the Wolmi Island Natives’ Returning Back to Hometown-

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1. Not well Known Story of the US Napalm Bombing on a Village During the Incheon Landing Operation, Sept. 15, 1950

The Wolmi Island is famous for the Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s Incheon Landing operation on Sept. 15, 1950, upon the outbreak of the Korean War. The three landing points of red, green, and blue have now become the ports and recreation sites.

More recently, the native villagers who had to fled their hometown due to the U. S. napalm bombing during the landing operation have been having vigil in their makeshift house for seven years to demand the examination of the truth on the day and compensation for the loss of their hometown. As of Sept. 3, their vigil date met 2171 days.

Visiting with Mr. Lee Haeng-Woo, we happened to see a villager who was 16 years old at the time and an activist who was with him.

The old man said there were about 64 households in their hometown and many were killed by napalm bomb at the time. The activist told us that the reason that the US bombed the villagers’ hometown that had been nothing to do with the DPRK soldiers who had been staying in the landing sites next to the hill where the village was also located on the other side of it but because the US military wanted to use it as their base by expanding the existing Japanese base then.

Even after the US base became not to be used any more, the Ministry of National Defense, ROK and City of Incheon have not consulted the villagers and replaced their land with a city park without the native’s agreement. The villagers have been doing the vigil at the very front of the park, for more than 2171 days by yesterday.

They have also demanded to examine the truth on the US massacre by napalm bombing on the day. It is told that their demand was now some officially acknowledged and they could take the official memorial service for the dead for three years now inside the park.

Still the tasks are being remained for further US & ROK government examination of truth and compensation for the bereaved families of the victims on the day.


The banner on the makeshift vigil house says,'The City of Incheon and Ministry of National Defense should establish a prompt compensation and measure for the returning to ones’ home for the Wolmi-Island natives.'

The natives and activists are doing a rotational vigil at the very site of the natives' hometown now changed to a city park as you can see behind them.
From the natives’ protest site, by climbing up and crossing the hill, you can reach to one of the US Incheon landing sites, called Green beach point, during the Korean War. The site is now a city recreation park.

From the top of the hill, one can see the other landing site in ones’ eastern side.
The old U.S. base has now returned to the City. Statues of the dogs have been set up in the site for the commemoration of the deaths of the dogs that the US military have kept. The natives spit the words that their lives are less worthy than those of dogs in satire.

A stone that says about the history of the Wolmi-Island.

Before going to the Wolmi Island, we have visited Rev. Hong Keun-Soo, a co-executive Chairperson of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK), and who is now in a nursing home for the Parkinson disease. Thanks to Agatha Haun and Marion Kennedy Kim, his book was recently translated and published in English. You may order the book from the SPARK(spark946@hanmail.net)
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* Related articles

Wikipedia
Incheon Landing Operation

Hankyoreh
Wolmido residents demand joint investigation into Korean War massacre
: Surviving family members petition Obama for his support to resolve situation surrounding Incheon landing
Posted on : Sep.16,2009 12:35 KST

New York Times
Korean War survivors tell of carnage inflicted by U.S.
By Choe Sang-Hun
Published: Monday, July 21, 2008