Kang Geum-ja recounts personal memories of the Korean War era

The Geumja series continues its exploration of South Korean history through the personal recollections of Kang Geum-ja, detailing family experiences during the mid-20th century.

In one account, Kang recalls a frightening journey in February 1951. While traveling from Busan to Haman as a four-year-old, her brother Ho-geol led her through dark paths where she encountered a disheveled woman, an event that left a lasting impression of fear. This period was marked by the family's displacement and the hardships of the Korean War.

Another recollection focuses on August 1950, when a twelve-year-old Kang was tasked by her father, National Assembly member Kang Uk-jung, to deliver a secret note to Park Heung-sik. Park, a prominent businessman and a figure identified as a leading pro-Japanese collaborator, was a high-profile individual who had been arrested by the Special Committee for Anti-National Activities but later released. Kang describes visiting a large residence near Euljiro 1-ga to complete the errand while her father was in hiding during the North Korean occupation of Seoul.