Longing for Reunification

Prof. and Dr. Kim Ok Bae, lecturer at Pyongyang Kim Won Gyun Conservatory, is renowned in the art world. She treasures a letter, which she received from her mother in south Korea on the occasion of the new year after she visited Seoul as a member of a visiting group of separated families and relatives in August 2000 after the publication of the historic June 15 Joint Declaration.

She came to the DPRK at the age of 13 in 1950 during the Korean war started by the US imperialists. She left for the DPRK which her father had longed for until he was killed by the atrocity of the south Korean puppets in Sodaemun prison. At that time she never imagined that she would be separated from her mother for such a long period.

When she met her mother, she said, "I've come to you after 50 years though it would take 50 minutes by plane."

Like other Korean mothers, she suffered from the tragedy of national division forced by foreign forces. She said in tears, "I could not die as I didn't see you. But now I have nothing to regret as you became a professor and doctor in the art world in the DPRK where you have no blood and flesh."

Kim Ok Bae looked back upon her past in the DPRK with deep emotion. The State allowed her to enter the then Pyongyang University of Music and Dance as she wished. After graduation she took up teaching. She trained a large number of artistes and created a lot of excellent works.

By her energetic study, rhythm science, a new discipline in the world of art science, was explored. A few years ago it earned an international patent.

She has a happy family. All her children, graduates of universities, work hard in different sectors for the good of the society.

Her mother said that her success gave her a better understanding of the DPRK. She wrote in her letter that she would wait eagerly for the day of reunification.

Reunification is the unanimous desire of all the Koreans with a national spirit in the north, south and abroad.

Recalling the reunion over 10 years ago, Kim Ok Bae says earnestly that the heartrending tragedy of national division can never be allowed to last any longer.

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