A Long Separation: Travelling exhibit revives memories of divided families on Korean Peninsula

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04:07

A traveling exhibition in the United States has been bringing fresh perspectives to the issue of families divided by the Korean War. Called "A Long Separation", the exhibition includes stories and photos from Koreans who have lived apart for sixty-five years. From the U.S. state of Maryland, Daniel Ryntjes reports.

In 1945, Korea was liberated from Japanese rule. The United States and Soviet Russia divided control across the 38th Parallel, leading to a formal north-south separation in 1948 and war in 1950. During that turmoil, thirteen-year-old Christian David Park decided to run south.

DAVID PARK KOREAN-AMERICAN "I was experiencing that persecution, that bitterness, that sense of bitterness. That caused me there escape by myself."

The United States was drawn into a bloody conflict that would last three years. David Park's father died shortly before the liberation. He was separated from his mother and younger sister in the turmoil.

DAVID PARK KOREAN-AMERICAN "But I expected to meet again, temporary. Maybe a couple of months, a couple of years. It was okay. But I didn't know it was going to be permanently separation. Can you imagine that? So that situation that I expect to reunion some time sooner, but it was not. How many years? Sixty-five more years we separated."

David is now one of the subjects of a traveling exhibition entitled "A Long Separation" by Korean-American Laura Elizabeth Pohl who's great uncle died without being reunited with his family.

LAURA ELIZABETH POHL ARTIST "We need to hear these stories and we need to listen to them because 60% of these divided family members, they are over age 80. They are probably, realistically going to be dying soon and once all of these divided members die we are going to lose all living memories between the two Koreas. Can you imagine that? I mean all living memories gone."

DANIEL RYNTJES ELLICOTT CITY "This exhibition comes at a time when there are powerful and mixed emotions among members of the Korean community here leading up to the expected summit between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump."

JIN YOON EXHIBITION VISITOR "I hope they have a good meeting and bring some good result, peace treaty. USA President Trump to have them united, I think it's possible."

ANITA ROSCHY EXHIBITION VISITOR "I was looking at the eyes of the people she interviewed, and they are sad. I mean it's hard to watch. I don't see anybody smiling, it's hard, and reading their stories. It's very intense."

David Park is sure his mother passed away during those many years of separation and he's not optimistic about his sister.

DAVID PARK KOREAN-AMERICAN "My concern was, what was the last time my mother passed away. Who could take care? And where is she? Is there any grave, or any place? I couldn't expect that. So then if I have a chance to get there, I don't have any chance to have any information about my mother and sister. That's the tragedy."

An organization called "Divided Families USA" has now written two letters to DPRK Leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump, urging them to consider a program to reunite Korean-Americans as well. Daniel Ryntjes, CGTN, in Ellicott City, Maryland.