New Irish-Korean historical links are uncovered

"What did Koreans, North or South, even do for any part of Ireland?" Fair point, Seanmor. Now Korea is rich and Ireland is poor, perhaps they should stick their hands in their pockets for their former benefactor. However, SK is very culturally isolated from the West. They don't watch Western TV, they don't import any Western products, Korean TV and films are the dominant cultural influence in the region, millions of Chinese, Japanese and others in the region are addicted to them (they're actually very good) and they have virtually no immigration, apart from US soldiers and English teachers. Most of them probably couldn't tell Ireland from Italy.

My own 'personal links' with Korea and other countries in that region began when I was only 9 or 10. A priest from the Columban Order visited or school and persuaded us all go from door to door sliciting subsciptions for the "Far East" magazine. I managed to find 4 new subscribers in my sparcely populated area of Ireland. During the rest of my years in primary school, I mamaged to get these 4 "Far East" readers to renew their annual subscriptins. During the war in Korea(early 50s) we followed events with great interest becaus 2 young emigrants from our local parish were serving there as U.S. soldiers. One soon brough home a huge AMERICAN FLAg - draped over his casket. The other survived and returned wearing sergeant's stripes on his sleeves and a BRONZE STAR on his chest. What did Koreans, North or South, even do for any part of Ireland?

Woundedknee you are right about Bythebay. It is getting so old reading her moronic comments. her comment on this story makes no sense at all considering what we know about her form all her other moronic comments. Again I am requesting to all regular readers to tell Bythebay to buzz off this site for good.

WoundedKnee: Yes, I didn't know it got that cold until I arrived there one December! I thought being in Asia, it was going to be warm all year round. Mind you, it gets very hot and humid in the summer. I was amazed by the fact they import hardly anything. Even their motorbikes are Korean. Someone had a Japanese car and they all gathered round in astonishment, I don't think they had ever seen one.

I was in Korea in 1952, didn't like it very much. The Koreans were not the problem, but the Chinese were very nasty.

Curitiba: I've been in Korea too. I hated it. The weather (it was freezing) and the food--vile. I thought Seoul was ugly. Each to his own I guess.

I've been to Korea (South) twice and it is an absolutely fascinating place. It's one of the few non-European (I include the USA, Australia, Canada, etc in that) First World countries. It's known as the "Ireland of the East", and it's not hard to see why. Both countries are partitioned and both countries were colonised by their larger island neighbours (I suppose you could call Japan the Britain of the East), amongst other similarities. Ireland should follow South Korea's model for prosperity. I'd definitely go again.

Another moronic missive from ciarabythebay. But Seanmor, thanks for that interesting note. By the way ciara, Collins the Treaty didn't cause partition, it was the Govt of Ireland Act. The North was already separate by the time the Free State got going. I think someone else corrected you on this, but you just don't learn do you.

This isn't an Irish link, it's another US invasion using emigrants from Ireland eg. Americans. There was no Southern Irish State in 1871, it was Ireland. There was no partition in Ireland until 1922 as a result of Collins signing the Treaty causing it.

The "Koea" of which the article speaks is actually the Southern half of that didided nation, and the "Ireland", mentioned is the Southern Irish state, not the whole country. The partition of Korea in 1945 led to a war 5 years later, in which an estimated 1½ million lives were lost, and since partition was imposed on the Irish nation, it has caused well over 3,000 deaths. Almost 80 years after the first Irish-Korean link occured in 1871, at least 29 Irish Irishmen gave their lives in defence of South Korea. In addition, 6 Irish Columban priests died at the hand of Korean communists, also an Church of Ireland nun. Those Irish natives should never be forgotten by South Korea or the whole Irish nation.