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APILN-ILI participants at the beach on Jeju Island. -
The outside of the Jeju YMCA. -
Members of the APILN-ILI and Daeun Yang, International Secretary of the NCY-Korea gather at a statue honoring Hae-nyeo women. Hae-nyeo women earn a living by diving into the sea to retrieve clam, sea cucumber, sea urchin, and other animals. This female-dominated practice has continued for over 1700 years and is significant in an otherwise male-dominated Korean society. Hae-nyeo represent the independent spirit, determination, strength, iron will, and resiliency of women in Korea. They are highly regarded and considered a treasure of Jeju Island and South Korean culture. -
The APILN-ILI joined the General Secretary of Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY) and the National General Secretary of YMCA Korea in visiting the future site of the Global Peace & Ecology Center and of the APAY headquarters on Jeju Island. -
General Secretary of the Asia Pacific Alliance of YMCAs Nam Boo Won with McGaw YMCA Marketing Director Melissa Franada before departing Jeju Island. -
The APILN-ILI visited the future site of the YMCA Korea Peace Building School where they will host leaders from all over the world to provide educational programs on peace building and reconciliation. -
The visit to the Peace Statue is a great reminder of the long-lasting effects of colonization and war. The statue is of a young girl sitting in a chair staring straight ahead. She has short hair and is wearing a traditional Korean dress. She is barefoot with her fists clenched in her lap. Next to the statue is an empty chair. The installation memorializes the demonstrations dedicated to the women, mostly Korean, who were abducted and forced into a military sex slave program up to the end of the Second World War. -
One of the many sites visited was the Memorial Tower of Baengmagoji Battlefield. “Baengmagoji Battlefield was one of the bloodiest battlefields during the Korean War." The 10-day battle, also known as the Battle of White Horse Highlands, started on October 6, 1952, and ended with the communist Chinese army suffering around 14,000 casualties and a complete collapse. The severe battle caused the mountain area to lose its original shape and was renamed “Baengmagoji” as it was said to resemble a white horse (baengma) lying down (visitkorea.or.kr).”
YMCA Global Immersion Experience South Korea | March 2023
By Evangeline Semark / April 20, 2023
