DONGDUCHEON, South Korea – 58 of Area I’s newest Soldiers and civilians experienced the surrounding community of Dongducheon city (DDC) in a whole new way on Nov. 21 and Dec. 13. Dongducheon city organized a culturally immersive and educational tour for two groups of newly arrived Soldiers and civilians, introducing them to local South Korean history and participating in several engaging activities throughout the day.
On Nov. 21, the first group of 30 Soldiers, assigned to 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, participated in the first tour of DDC organized by the local municipality since 2020, which was temporarily paused during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m absolutely going to sign up for another tour,” jubilantly stated Staff Sgt. Douglas Smith, assigned to U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan-Casey. “I liked everything about today’s tour. I signed up for a similar trip last year to Seoul that was also a blast. This one was really great too in a different way.”
After the success of the first tour a new group, comprised of 28 Soldiers and civilians assigned to U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan-Casey, was invited by DDC for an additional tour on Dec. 13.
“The goal was to help Soldiers understand Korean culture and traditions first-hand, enriching their experience while stationed in Korea. This year’s historical and cultural experience was conducted exclusively within Dongducheon, unlike previous ones centered in Seoul,” said Dongducheon city hall. “The tour was also designed to help make Soldiers feel welcomed and comfortable during their stay in Korea.”
The decision to focus on Dongducheon city was made to help recently arrived Soldiers become more comfortable with their immediate surroundings and show them some local areas they might not venture out to on their own.
The trip began with a visit to General Eo, Yu-so’s tomb, which is located on Camp Hovey, South Korea. General Eo was a general during the Joseon Dynasty, famous for suppressing the Yi Si-ae Rebellion in 1467 by boldly climbing a coastal cliff with 1,000 troops to gain the strategic upper hand in a battle with the rebels. Eo’s victory over the rebels is noted in historical documents for helping to solidify the power of the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled Korea from 1392-1910.
General Eo’s tomb, which is carefully protected and maintained by U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan-Casey Department of Public Works (DPW) employees, is a Dongducheon-si municipal heritage site, highlighting its cultural significance and historical importance.
“The ROK and U.S. alliance is among the strongest globally, as evidenced by our joint efforts to safeguard important cultural relics,” said Pak, I Kyong, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan-Casey supervisory environmental engineer. “Restoration efforts are carried out, after an advisory consultation with the Korea Heritage Administration. Collaborating with the host nation on projects aimed at protecting culturally significant artifacts located on U.S. installations has bolstered the stewardship between USFK and the ROK.”
The next part of the trip featured a variety arts and crafts experiences, designed to give everyone a culturally immersive and unique experience. The Soldiers and civilians were given different options to choose from, selecting what piqued their interest the most.
On Nov. 21, the group of 30 210th Field Artillery Brigade Soldiers created stamps by hand-engraving their names in hangul onto a marble surface at the Dongducheon Lifelong Education Center, in the neighborhood of Jihaeng, Dongducheon city. The Soldiers then used the stamps to create customized post cards they could send to their friends and family back home or keep for their memories.
On Dec. 13, the group split into two parts, the first of which saddle-stitched leather wallets together by hand at the Bosan community center, just a few hundred meters outside of Camp Casey’s main gate, in Bosan-dong, Dongducheon city. The second group embraced their artistic side by decorating a petite cake just a short walk away.
“It was fun, really therapeutic. I didn’t realize I needed it,” cheerfully stated Marissa Jordan, the USAG Yongsan-Casey Family Advocacy Program Victim Advocate. “You should really know where you sleep. It’s easy to figure out things to do in Seoul, but a lot of us have no idea these kinds of places are literally right outside the base.”
Next, the group took a much-needed lunch break at a local Korean barbecue restaurant. For lunch, the Soldiers enjoyed a hearty serving of bulgogi, or “fire meat,” a world-famous Korean culinary dish comprised of thinly sliced meat that is marinated in a slightly sweet and savory sauce, typically grilled or stir-fried. The origins of bulgogi can be traced all the way back to the Goguryeo era, which lasted from the 1st century BC to the 7th century AD.
The group worked off their full bellies by going on a short hike through a sea of green and autumn amber amongst the trees. Surrounded by nature in the DDC natural forest recreational area, the young Americans were introduced to several relaxation techniques along the walking trail like breathing and hand massage techniques.
“This time, the primary venue was a natural recreation forest, chosen because it represents Dongducheon as a city of forests and offers Soldiers a unique experience different from their daily life near the base,” said Dongducheon city hall.
The capstone of the experience included a traditional tea ceremony, where the Soldiers hand-poured cups of fresh and aromatic tea. During the tea ceremony, some of the Soldiers volunteered to try on hanboks, traditional Korean clothing, while others hand-pressed dasik to enjoy along with the tea. Dasik is a traditional bite-sized Korean dessert made from finely ground grains mixed with honey.
“I liked everything. I’m a big fan of yakgwa and this is kind of similar,” said Smith. “The dasik combined with the tea was amazing. When you combine that with the optical experience of everyone in the hanboks, that was my favorite.”
At the conclusion of the tour, the Dongducheon city team thanked the military service members for their service and expressed their genuine hope they enjoyed experiencing the city just outside the gate in a whole new way.
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