The main point of using this image is that shows the darkness of war in an indirect way.

In the picture, the leader of North and South Korea are smiling and shaking hands. A worldwide event that happened over history on April 28, 2018.

 

The one in the left is the North Korean leader, Kim Jung Un, and the in right is the South Korean leader, Moon Jae In. The leaders from the countries that treated each other as enemies for more than 65 years since the Korean war in 1950-53 are meeting in the Demilitarized Zone.

 

Korea was separated into two countries, North and South, after the independence from Japanese colonization in 1945 by the influence of the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1950- 53, the Korean erupted killing countless people and soldiers. Korea became completely destroyed, families were separated, people had to leave their homelands from the war.

Any person or country, which experienced the cruelty of war would know the sadness that was left from the war. Especially Koreans, when it comes to the Korean war, there is an overwhelming sadness. The sadness that North Koreans and South Koreans, even though they are from the same country and one nation, they had to point their guns to each other.

 

With the continuous threat that was given from North Korea, and possibly predicting a second Korean War, uneasy tensions went on. However, it was the first time the two leaders from North and South Korea met in the DMZ. And the North Korean leader, Kim Jung Un, visited South Korea for the first time as a North Korean leader, announcing de-nuclearization.

 

The two leaders meeting in the DMZ was showing the opportunity that there would be a better relationship between the two countries. But there is the contrast that the 38 parallel line is in between them, acknowledging the reality of the separation. It is reflecting the dark side of the history between the two countries that they are still in the war state. A second Korean war can erupt any time when the threat is caused by either side. The image, without even showing the pictures of the deads and poverty, it shows the cruelty of the war would result in.

 

The image can greatly influence from this reality whether a war should be considered as a solution from threats when the scar of the war will last over generations. People can be alarmed from this image that this is not only the situation in Korea. Germany went through the separation from wars, and the countries in the middle east are experiencing deadly wars. Who knows there could be more countries like Korea in the future.

 

When I first saw this picture, I can say I almost cried. I don’t know why, even though I did not experience the war. But I felt the sadness of the reality of my country and hoping there could be a better future for both North and South Korea. And at least my grandfather could sleep in peace.