A 92-year old former U.S. military officer has donated some 270 photos taken right after the Korean War ended.... giving us a rare glimpse into the daily lives of Koreans at the time.
Lee Min-sun reports.
Only a year after the end of the Korean War, Dongyeong port in Sokcho, Gangwon-do Province, is recovering from the conflict and returning to a peaceful daily life.
These wooden fishing boats are lined up at the port... and beyond them are simple residential houses.
65 years later, the only thing that remains the same is the Catholic church.
Children who are seemingly free of worries and the fear of war play on the ice... while the adults carry loads of firewood that are much larger than their bodies.
And the traditional market is bustling with people.
These photos were recently donated by former U.S. Marine Corps officer Richard Rockwell, who was stationed in South Korea in 1954, a year after the Korean War ended.
The collection includes photos of Naksansa Temple in Yangyang, which was restored after being burnt down during the war, as well as some scenes from the nearby military base.
Sokcho City Museum is planning to put these pictures on display for the public after preservation work is completed.
Lee Min-sun, Arirang News.