Memorial Day

Every June 6th Memorial Day is celebrated in South Korea.  It is basically the same as Memorial Day back home (minus the store sales because unlike America, Korea does not turn every national holiday into a national shopping sale day).  It became an official holiday in 1956 as a way to honor those who had served in the military, particularly during the Korean War and against the Japanese occupation in the early 1900s.  There is a special ceremony at Seoul National Cemetery and many people take the time to lay flowers at the grave sites of their military family members.  Military service is required for all South Korean, male citizens for two years.  (Just for a side note comparison: Males AND females in North Korea are required to serve ten years in the military)  They are allowed to choose when they want to spend their two years in the military whenever they are between the ages of 18 and 30.  There are of course some that do not serve due to health, disability or criminal past, but usually when the government says ALL males must serve two years they mean it.  In 2002 a Korean singer and celebrity was deported and told to not come back after he became a naturalized American citizen to avoid his military service.  Just last year another celebrity was sentenced to jail, probation and community service for trying to avoid serving.  Military service is considered a high and serious honor in South Korea and the people make sure they honor those who have served and are serving especially on this day.

Since June 6th landed on a weekday this year we also got to have the day off of work!  We took advantage of the nice (though also a bit hot and sticky) weather to take a picnic lunch and our baseball mitts to Olympic Park.  It was a relaxing way to enjoy our day off walking around the park and people watching.  Tomorrow it's back to work but only for two days before another weekend!