10 years after the bombardment "Island on the forefront to North Korea" now November 30, 18:20

November 23, 2010.

A fishing island with a population of less than 2,000 was suddenly hit by about 80 shells from North Korea.

A number of black smoke rising violently from the house.

The local footage surprised the world and heightened tension.

It's been 10 years since the bombardment of Yongpyeong Island.

I visited the island to find out the current state of North-South relations from the "front line".

(Seoul bureau reporter Ichiwatari Sasa)

Now to Yongpyeong Island

"Yongpyeong Island" is a general term for two islands in the Yellow Sea west of the Korean Peninsula.

This time, I aimed at the big Yongpyeong island of the two islands by boat.

About 100 km from Incheon near Seoul.

It is not uncommon for the flight to be canceled due to weather conditions.

I was worried that the departure would be delayed due to the fog, but I managed to set sail.

On the ship, among the people who seemed to be islanders with large luggage, the figure of a person wearing a military uniform was conspicuous, and there was a unique sense of tension.

I arrived at the island in about two and a half hours while wondering, "What kind of thoughts have the islanders faced with North Korea over the last 10 years?"

North Korea in front of me

When I got off the ship, I was suddenly stopped by a military official.

"Never shoot military facilities."

We found that we had shooting equipment and explained the precautions.

The first place I went to was the observatory on the island.

What you can see in front of you is the island of North Korea.

If the weather is nice, you can see the land of North Korea, which is about 10 kilometers away.

When I was at the observatory, I heard a loud "bread, bread" sound from nearby.

It is training of the Korean army.

On the front-line islands, strict vigilance continues.

"It's like a war"

The island was suddenly hit by North Korean bombardment 10 years ago.

About 170 shells were shot by North Korea in the one-hour bombardment.

About 80 of these landed on the island, killing four civilians and soldiers.

It is believed that the North Korean side opposed the joint military training of land, sea and air that the South Korean army was conducting at that time.

Song Young-ok (Song Ying-dama)

"Suddenly there was a bang and the computer turned off. When I wondered what it was, I saw flames and black smoke rising."

Song Young-ok, who has lived on the island for over 30 years and runs a guest house.

At that time, I was in the port on the south side of the island.

It is said that the appearance of the island changed drastically due to the bombardment, and the windows of his house were damaged.

"It was really like a war. The inhabitants couldn't do anything about it."

Remaining scars, indelible anxiety

Some of the damaged buildings have been left intact in order to pass on the bombardment to posterity.

The roofs and walls have collapsed violently, and they have been burnt black in places, and the shells that have been shot are also on display, conveying the horror of the bombardment.

Kim Young-soon (Eijun Kim)

"How important is" peace "? By seeing this scene, I think it can be conveyed not only to people in Korea but also to people all over the world."

Kim Young-soon (Kim Yong-soon), a resident who guided us, talks.

It has passed 10 years ever since.

The anxieties of the islanders are still there.

Following the North-South summit meeting in 2018, the first-ever US-North Korea summit meeting was held, and the mood of harmony spread. In response, the lighthouse on the island was lit for the first time in 45 years.

Still, it only illuminates the south side of the island.

When it illuminates the north side, it is still not shining as it is a target from North Korea.

The vigilance against North Korea has not been relaxed.

The next place I visited was this facility.

It looks like a small gymnasium, but it is a newly constructed evacuation facility after the bombardment.

Of the eight facilities built on the island, this is the largest and can accommodate more than 460 people.

In addition to having a kitchen and toilet, gas masks are also stored, so you can stay for about a week.

International affairs stalling

The international situation surrounding the island remains stalemate.

US President Donald Trump and North Korea's Workers' Party of Korea Chairman Kim Jong-un have held three summit meetings until 2019, but no progress has been made in the denuclearization of North Korea.

South Korea's Moon Jae-in administration has made North-South reconciliation a top priority, but North Korea exploded the North-South joint liaison office in June.

Three months later, the crew of a South Korean fishery guidance vessel was shot dead by North Korean troops at sea near Yongpyeong Island.

On November 23, a ceremony was held at the National Cemetery in Daejeon, South Korea, to commemorate the victims of the bombardment.

Defense Minister Seo Wook said, "We will establish a strong defense posture so that the past suffering will not be repeated again." On the other hand, "North and South have finished the era of confrontation and conflict and have made progress once. We are striving to follow a path of peace that never happens. "

It seems that there was also an aim to avoid stimulating North Korea without directly blaming it.

Under these circumstances, a new variable is former Vice President Biden, who declared victory in the US presidential election.

Will it be overcome by "bottom up"?

After the November election, Mr. Biden had a telephone conversation with South Korean President Moon.

"We would like to work closely with each other toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the permanent consolidation of peace," said Mr. Biden. "We will cooperate to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue." I responded.

Professor Yang Mu-jin of the North Korean Graduate University in Seoul, who has advised President Mun, said that Mr. Biden's North Korean policy is a practice against President Trump's favorite "top-down method". We expect that it will be a "bottom-up method" in which discussions are held among the parties.

While this method has the disadvantage of being time consuming, it has the advantage of making it easier to reach a more specific agreement.

Waiting for a day when you can feel at ease

What do the people of Yongpyeong Island see about the future?

A man in his 60s said, "I'm worried."

"Anyway, politicians settle things peacefully," he said, worried that if the U.S. president changed from Mr. Trump to Mr. Biden, North Korea would turn to a tough stance again. I want it. "

A man in his 50s is also concerned about the trends in the United States, saying, "I want you to become Mr. Biden and move in the right direction for us."

On the other hand, Mr. Son, who runs a guest house, says that he sympathizes with Mr. Biden's political stance of "emphasis on international cooperation" but does not expect much from the development of relations with North Korea.

"I was hoping that I would be able to walk up to the north and come and go, but in the end it was a stepping stone. It's not an easy task," said the North-South and US-North Korea summit talks in succession in 2018. Looking back, it is a half-giving face.

On the contrary, he said that if the situation worsens, the number of people visiting the island will decrease and the management of the guest house will be affected.

The people of Yongpyeong Island are waiting for a day when they can live with peace of mind as the tactics of the countries concerned continue over the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Seoul Bureau Reporter

Ichiwatari Sasa