It is pretty amazing that General Paik Sun-yup is now 99 years old and still going strong:
Gen. Paik Sun-yup, in a wheelchair, center, is congratulated on his 99th birthday on Wednesday by a kneeling U.S. Ambassador to Korea Harry Harris, second from right, at the Ministry of National Defense Convention Center in central Seoul. [BYUN SUN-GOO]The U.S. Eighth Army held a surprise birthday party on Wednesday for General Paik Sun-yup, one of the most celebrated commanders of the 1950-53 Korean War.
The celebration of Paik’s 98th birthday — or the celebrated 99th by Korean count — was held at the Ministry of National Defense Convention Center in central Seoul with nearly the full roster of American representatives in Korea in attendance, including U.S. Ambassador to Korea Harry Harris and the new commander of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Gen. Robert B. Abrams.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Park Han-ki and Commander of the First ROK Army Park Jong-jin were also present to congratulate the general.
Jeong presented Paik with a ceremonial military baton inlaid with mother-of-pearl as a birthday gift. Crouching before Paik, who was in a wheelchair, Gen. Abrams handed him a booklet of congratulatory messages and photographs from all current and former commanders of the USFK.
“You are like the foundation of the U.S-Korea alliance,” Abrams told Paik.
The two men share a unique connection that goes back to the Korean War. Abram’s father was Creighton Williams Abrams, a U.S. Army general who fought in Korea alongside Paik. [Joong Ang Ilbo]
You can read more at the link, but I had the chance to talk to General Paik many years ago and got him to sign a copy of his book,From Pusan to Panmunjon (Memories of War). He was fascinating to talk to because his great memory of events that occurred and people he met during the Korean War. If you haven’t read his book I highly recommend reading it because of the ROK perspective it provides in regards to events during the Korean War.
Here at the beginnings of South Korea and sadly living to see it end.
HK
5 years ago
Flyingfucktard – Do you have anything intelligent to say, or do you just enjoy jacking off in cyberspace with your inane and retarded comments? For starters, study your fucking history for once in your life you moron. Just like the division of Germany and Berlin into separate zones of occupation in 1945 were meant to be temporary, the division of Korea into north and south was also meant only to be temporary. And were it not for Truman’s morally bankrupt and ineffectual policy of containment along with an abject failure to deal effectively with the Chinese after they entered the war in late 1950, MacArthur would’ve been allowed to accomplish the original objective of reunifying the peninsula thus ending the war.
After some 65 years of stalemate, however, the fact that the Koreas have found another way of achieving peace and the possiblity of reunification through detente and rapprochement – sans the U.S. – is really getting your goat isn’t it? Sounds like it’s time to get out while you can, you old goat.
Flyingsword
5 years ago
Ah, HK, trying to improve your social credit score there in China. Nice. Remember, Korea was unified until the Chinese stepped in so I am not sure what your point is.
I am only sad since the path South Korea is going on is leading to the enslavement of 50+million South Korean citizens under the communist system.
ChickenHead
5 years ago
“I am only sad since the path South Korea is going on is leading to the enslavement of 50+million South Korean citizens under the communist system.”
Koreans have a 70 year history of:
– rising up against repressive government
– protecting the things that lead toward success
– filling mass graves with communists and suspected communists
The younger generations have a lot of commie-loving idealists and libtard snowflakes… but they are the minority… and if Moon tries to give the country away to Kim or if Kim tries to take it, a lot of Koreans are going to protect what they have.
…and a lot of firepower hidden away by untrusting Koreans after the war, 50 years of slicky boy loot, everything ever sold by a Russian sailor, all the stuff brought back by returning old Korean expats in their containers, and anything that can be thrown together in a highly technical country with machine shops in every town… will come into play to make sure there is no enslavement.
…well… not exactly true.
Asians love nothing more than to brutalize other Asians… and one trip to a Pyongtaek factory or a Philippine whore bar will show South Koreans are no exception.
The greatest chance of any enslavement is what South Koreans will do to any North Koreans they get their hands on.
Flyingsword
5 years ago
Chickenhead, Hope your are right…
ChickenHead
5 years ago
I am generally right.
Sleep easy.
Flyingsword
5 years ago
I would expect the Koreans really didn’t do much against the Japanese occupation so not hoping for much now.
johnnyboy
5 years ago
Not sure if the Chinese were going to enter the war one way or another, but it’s widely accepted that Macarthur’s push to the far north was what triggered them to enter when they did. I doubt the Soviets or Chinese would have allowed a unified Korea for very long if at all.
I remain optimistic that North and South can figure out a more peaceful way of existence, but it’s hard to imagine a successful reunification that wouldn’t bring the South down economically in order to bring the North up.
Who says the U.S. had nothing to do with the current negotiations?
None of us have the luxury of knowing what Trump and Kim discussed in their brief meeting or if Trump’s “cut the shit” method of dealing with Kim was the reason they were there to begin with.
Maybe the idea is to bring North Korea into the fold with the rest of the world slowly. Let them build up economically while giving them assurance that as long as they behave, no one will be threatening military action.
guitard
5 years ago
GEN Paik likes to eat at the DHL restaurants. I have stopped by his table a few times to chat with him in recent years (after he has finished eating). He has always been very gracious and in spite of his age and physical condition, he’s still quite lucid and seems to enjoy our talks.
setnaffa
5 years ago
I bought GEN Paik’s book on Amazon and enjoyed it tremendously.
I wish him and his family and friends nothing but the best.
Meanwhile, it’s a race between which Korea is corrupted faster by the other. And I think all of them lose either way.
Here at the beginnings of South Korea and sadly living to see it end.
Flyingfucktard – Do you have anything intelligent to say, or do you just enjoy jacking off in cyberspace with your inane and retarded comments? For starters, study your fucking history for once in your life you moron. Just like the division of Germany and Berlin into separate zones of occupation in 1945 were meant to be temporary, the division of Korea into north and south was also meant only to be temporary. And were it not for Truman’s morally bankrupt and ineffectual policy of containment along with an abject failure to deal effectively with the Chinese after they entered the war in late 1950, MacArthur would’ve been allowed to accomplish the original objective of reunifying the peninsula thus ending the war.
After some 65 years of stalemate, however, the fact that the Koreas have found another way of achieving peace and the possiblity of reunification through detente and rapprochement – sans the U.S. – is really getting your goat isn’t it? Sounds like it’s time to get out while you can, you old goat.
Ah, HK, trying to improve your social credit score there in China. Nice. Remember, Korea was unified until the Chinese stepped in so I am not sure what your point is.
I am only sad since the path South Korea is going on is leading to the enslavement of 50+million South Korean citizens under the communist system.
“I am only sad since the path South Korea is going on is leading to the enslavement of 50+million South Korean citizens under the communist system.”
Koreans have a 70 year history of:
– rising up against repressive government
– protecting the things that lead toward success
– filling mass graves with communists and suspected communists
The younger generations have a lot of commie-loving idealists and libtard snowflakes… but they are the minority… and if Moon tries to give the country away to Kim or if Kim tries to take it, a lot of Koreans are going to protect what they have.
…and a lot of firepower hidden away by untrusting Koreans after the war, 50 years of slicky boy loot, everything ever sold by a Russian sailor, all the stuff brought back by returning old Korean expats in their containers, and anything that can be thrown together in a highly technical country with machine shops in every town… will come into play to make sure there is no enslavement.
…well… not exactly true.
Asians love nothing more than to brutalize other Asians… and one trip to a Pyongtaek factory or a Philippine whore bar will show South Koreans are no exception.
The greatest chance of any enslavement is what South Koreans will do to any North Koreans they get their hands on.
Chickenhead, Hope your are right…
I am generally right.
Sleep easy.
I would expect the Koreans really didn’t do much against the Japanese occupation so not hoping for much now.
Not sure if the Chinese were going to enter the war one way or another, but it’s widely accepted that Macarthur’s push to the far north was what triggered them to enter when they did. I doubt the Soviets or Chinese would have allowed a unified Korea for very long if at all.
I remain optimistic that North and South can figure out a more peaceful way of existence, but it’s hard to imagine a successful reunification that wouldn’t bring the South down economically in order to bring the North up.
Who says the U.S. had nothing to do with the current negotiations?
None of us have the luxury of knowing what Trump and Kim discussed in their brief meeting or if Trump’s “cut the shit” method of dealing with Kim was the reason they were there to begin with.
Maybe the idea is to bring North Korea into the fold with the rest of the world slowly. Let them build up economically while giving them assurance that as long as they behave, no one will be threatening military action.
GEN Paik likes to eat at the DHL restaurants. I have stopped by his table a few times to chat with him in recent years (after he has finished eating). He has always been very gracious and in spite of his age and physical condition, he’s still quite lucid and seems to enjoy our talks.
I bought GEN Paik’s book on Amazon and enjoyed it tremendously.
I wish him and his family and friends nothing but the best.
Meanwhile, it’s a race between which Korea is corrupted faster by the other. And I think all of them lose either way.