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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

'I'm Sorry, Vietnam': A poetic apology for wartime atrocities

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • A new poetry collection, 'As Long As I Lived, I Must Speak,' compiles works by Korean and Vietnamese poets reflecting on the Vietnam War and Korea's role in wartime atrocities.
  • The anthology aims to foster reconciliation by confronting the painful history of Korean military actions in Vietnam and acknowledging the need for apology and healing.
  • The project is an extension of the 'I'm Sorry, Vietnam' movement, initiated after reports of Korean military massacres emerged in 1999, seeking to address historical truths and support victims.

A new poetry collection, 'As Long As I Lived, I Must Speak,' is set to be released, aiming to foster reconciliation by confronting the painful legacy of the Vietnam War and Korea's involvement in wartime atrocities. Compiled by the Korea-Vietnam Peace Foundation, the anthology features poems by nine Korean poets based on photographs and testimonies collected by the foundation. It also includes 16 existing works by poets who participated in the war or visited Vietnam, alongside experimental poetic forms like blackout poetry and found poetry.

We have not yet arrived at peace. We have not yet arrived at peace. We have not yet arrived at reconciliation.

— Do Jong-hwanFrom the opening poem 'The Road to Peace,' expressing the ongoing need for reconciliation.

The collection opens with a dialogue between Korean poet Do Jong-hwan and Vietnamese poet Thanh Thao, symbolizing a shared journey toward peace and reconciliation. Do Jong-hwan expresses regret over the lack of apology from the aggressor nation, while Thanh Thao acknowledges the efforts of Korean citizens seeking apology and forgiveness. This poetic exchange sets the tone for the anthology's overarching theme: the necessity of acknowledging past wrongs to move towards a future of peace and understanding.

'I'm sorry, Vietnam' is the most beautiful phrase in the world. We move towards peace together. 'I beg for forgiveness! I beg for forgiveness a hundred, a thousand times!' These words are still needed in today's world.

— Thanh ThaoResponding to the Korean poet, acknowledging the importance of apology and forgiveness.

The poems delve into the complex emotions and experiences of those affected by the war. Some works explore the confusion and bewilderment of Korean soldiers who struggled to comprehend why they were fighting against Vietnamese civilians. Others draw parallels between the atrocities committed in Vietnam and other painful historical events in Korea, such as the Jeju Uprising and the Gwangju Uprising, highlighting the universal need for truth, apology, and reparations.

Why did they have to aim their guns at my heart and wound me? They were Asians with yellow faces and short stature, but I still cannot understand. How did they become my enemies?

— Song Ki-wonFrom the poem 'Memory of Vietnam,' reflecting a soldier's confusion during the war.

Established in 2016, the Korea-Vietnam Peace Foundation seeks to address the issue of Korean military violence during the war, support Vietnamese victims, and acknowledge the suffering of Korean veterans. The 'I'm Sorry, Vietnam' movement, which inspired the foundation, began in 1999 following media reports of massacres of Vietnamese civilians by Korean troops. The anthology serves as a powerful testament to this ongoing effort to confront historical truths, promote healing, and build bridges of understanding between Korea and Vietnam.

Can't we convey words of comfort, apology, and compensation to the Vietnamese people who died in Mr. No's air-raid shelter, just as Korea demands an apology and compensation from Japanese imperialism and excavates and commemorates the souls of Jeju?

— Song Kyung-dongFrom the poem 'If We, Were Not Who We Know,' drawing parallels between historical injustices.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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