#89 Living History: The 60th Anniversary of the Liberation of Seoul

[스티븐스 대사]

Greetings, Netizens.  On a beautiful autumn day during the last week of September we marked the 60th anniversary of the recapture of Seoul from North Korean forces.  United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki and his wife led a Presidential Delegation to Seoul for the occasion, joining delegations from other United Nations Command contributing countries, and mayors from Seoul’s sister cities of Addis Abba and Bangkok, among others.  On September 27 and 28, all the delegations joined Korean War veterans from around the world and Korean citizens in a series of moving events, including wreath-laying ceremonies at the War Memorial of Korea and the National Cemetery, and a memorable  Liberation Day ceremony at Gyeongbok Palace led by Korean President Lee Myung-Bak. 

Secretary and Mrs. Shinseki are greeted by President Lee Myung-bak

Secretary and Mrs. Shinseki enjoy pre-ceremony performances at Gyeongbok Palace

Members of the U.S. Presidential Delegation pay their respects at the War Memorial of Korea

On September 27 at my residence in Seoul, I had the pleasure of hosting a reception in honor of Secretary Shinseki and his delegation.  It was on September 27, 1950, that the U.S. Ambassador’s residence, which had been occupied by North Korean forces, was recovered.  On display in the residence today is a photograph where this moment was captured.   It shows 19-year old U.S. Marine Private 1^st Class Luther Leguire of the First Marine Regiment on the roof of the Ambassador’s residence raising the flag, even before Seoul was completely liberated.   The details of the story can be found here.  

U.S. Marine Private 1^st Class Luther Leguire of the First Marine Regiment raises the U.S. flag on the roof of the Ambassador’s residence following the recapture of Seoul

Living in a house of such historical significance, I have continued to search for accounts of that period.  In his 1953 book Embassy At War, then-First Secretary Harold Noble of the U.S. Embassy gives a first-hand account of what it was like to be the U.S. Ambassador during that time.

Noble writes about how then-Ambassador John J. Muccio, the first U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, notified Washington of North Korea’s surprise invasion south of the 38^th parallel in the early morning of  June 25, 1950.  Noble describes how the North Korean forces quickly overran most of the Republic of Korea, as the unprepared South Korean forces and their American advisors, supplemented by U.S. and other UN troops as they arrived in Korea, were pushed back as far as the Nakdong River, forming a small perimeter around Busan where supplies and reinforcements could flow in. 

In our five-day Nakdong bicycle tour last month, we saw firsthand what Noble described.  The holding of the line at the Nakdong, coupled with the Incheon landing, turned the tide, and by late September ROK, U.S. and other UN forces had arrived in Seoul, where fierce battles raged before Seoul was finally liberated.

John J. Muccio, first U.S. Ambassador to the newly established Republic of Korea, arriving at Gimpo Airport on August 24, 1948

Harold Noble describes returning to Seoul with Ambassador Muccio, at the same time the government of the Republic of Korea led by President Syngman Rhee was returning.  Here is what Ambassador Muccio and Harold Noble saw, as described in Embassy at War: 

“The battered streets were lined by citizens of all ages, small children and aged men and women, many holding small South Korean flags which they gaily waved at us while they cheered and cheered again as President Rhee drove past.  All the adults looked gaunt and drawn from hunger and disease.  There could be no question that this welcome was spontaneous.  There was no one available to make them come out and cheer.  They were cheering and crying because they were so happy to have Seoul free again, to see their own government returning, and to look forward to the restoration of normal life. 

The sight of the broken, burned-out city was dreadful.  None of the briefings or accounts we heard at Pusan had prepared us for the terrible destruction of Seoul.  The more we moved around later and examined the city in detail, the more dreadful the loss appeared.  I was in Yokohama and Tokyo soon after the end of World War II, but Seoul showed far worse damage.  The sight of the wreckage sickened us. 

Noble also describes returning to Ambassador Muccio’s residence, the U.S. official residence since 1884.  It had been badly vandalized and damaged:

“… We drove on to Embassy Residence No. 1 where Ambassador Muccio and I had our houses.  We looked around the compound a bit and saw the physical destruction from shell fire.  A direct hit had gone down the side of our two-story servants’ quarters, knocking that building to pieces and rather effectively ruining the two small residences next door, one of them quite beyond repair.  Ambassador Muccio was badly hurt emotionally by the loss of every lovely thing he had collected in stations all over the world throughout his mature life.  The vandalizing of his home disturbed Muccio deeply, and even after it had been repaired … he had great difficulty in forcing himself to return to live there.” 

Standing with Secretary Shinseki next to a picture of Private 1^st Class Luther Leguire raising the U.S. flag over the American Ambassador’s residence

On September 27, 2010, we reflected on the sacrifices and suffering of sixty years ago, and appreciated afresh all that we enjoy today thanks to that unwavering commitment:   A prosperous, democratic Republic of Korea; a dynamic, exciting capital city of Seoul; and a very special U.S.-Korea friendship, symbolized by the beautiful residence in which we gathered together, remembering the past and looking forward to working together on today’s challenges.

 

[JamesBond(wonhyoyoon)]

Your Admirers Well never never forget you!!!