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| Archival footage from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration shows teachers and children carrying textbooks at a refugee camp in Wonju, Gangwon Province, July 27, 1953, the day the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed and came into effect. Courtesy of Korean Film Archive |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
In an archival video from July 27, 1953, the day the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed and came into effect, Korean children and a teacher can be seen carrying textbooks delivered by the U.S. Army to a refugee camp in Wonju, Gangwon Province.
"Most footage of the Korean Armistice Agreement captures the moment of signing or the soldiers, but this footage shows how civilians started reconstructing the country right after the ceasefire," Jeong Young-sin, a researcher at the Institute for East Asian Studies at Sungkonghoe University, said during a press conference unveiling a collection of historical footage after the 1950-53 Korean War at the Korean Film Archive (KOFA) in western Seoul, Wednesday.
The archival footage, capturing crucial moments of post-war reconstruction in Korea, was discovered through the collaborative efforts of KOFA and the Institute for East Asian Studies at Sungkonghoe University. The videos give a glimpse into Korea's history, offering new perspectives on the resilience of the Korean people during this transformative period.
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement and the Korea-U.S. alliance, the two institutes unearthed the footage from the collection of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the University of South Carolina Library.
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| Researchers present archival footage showcasing Korea's post-war reconstruction efforts during a press conference at the Korean Film Archive (KOFA) in western Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap |
Kim Hong-jun, the director of KOFA, highlighted the project's goal of collecting foreign footage about Korea, offering researchers and the public unique insight through the dynamic elements of moving images.
"Archival footage serves as a time capsule, containing comprehensive information of a specific time and place, providing important clues for a deeper understanding of the era," Kim said.
He further elaborated on how the footage encapsulates the U.S.' post-war reconstruction and assistance initiatives in Korea.
"This discovery, we believe, will enable the public to witness Korea's post-war reconstruction process firsthand and reflect on the enduring alliance between Korea and the United States," Kim said.
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| Archival footage from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration shows children queued at Sa-dong Milk Allowance Point in Daegu in July 1953, during a time when milk porridge was being distributed to refugees and war orphans. Courtesy of Korean Film Archive |
The first video clip made public from this initiative dates back to April 1952, amid the Korean War. A filming team from the U.S. Far Eastern Command (FEC) documented the educational and industrial rebuilding efforts by the United Nations Civil Assistance Corps Korea (UNCACK). This rare clip, employing simultaneous audio recording, was intended for psychological warfare use during the period of the Cold War.
The majority of the footage is silent and focuses on 1953-54 and 1962-63, when the Armed Forces Assistance to Korea (AFAK) program was most active. The AFAK was a community reconstruction program that ran from November 1953 to 1971 with over 6,600 projects to support religious, cultural and educational institutions and build orphanages, hospitals and schools, primarily in areas near U.S. military bases.
A notable clip from February 1954 shows the construction site of the Yeongdeungpo Printing Factory, a UNESCO-funded project that produced textbooks for post-war education.
The archival videos, filmed across Korea, provide glimpses into life in various regions of the country. One clip features children queued at Sa-dong Milk Allowance Point in Daegu in July 1953, during a time when milk porridge was being distributed to refugees and war orphans.
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| Archival footage from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration shows U.S. soldiers playing volleyball with students at Paju Girls' Commercial High School in November 1963. The school building was built with assistance from the U.S. Forces Korea. Courtesy of Korean Film Archive |
Footage from the 1960s filmed in color, shot mostly in Paju or Dongducheon in northern Gyeonggi Province, shows U.S. soldiers' participation in social programs designed to integrate with and support Koreans such as soldiers playing volleyball with students at a local high school. These endeavors were part of the AFAK programs, which played a role in reducing social issues caused by the presence of U.S. military bases within local communities.
Kang Sung-hyun, a professor at SungKongHoe University, noted the researchers' efforts to comprehend the context underlying the footage.
"The videos were shot by the U.S. Forces Korea with the purpose of promoting their assistance initiatives in Korea. However, a wealth of information can be gleaned from the fleeting facial expressions of individuals and the structures in the background," Kang said.
"It was not intended by the U.S., but we found out how resilient and active Koreans were during the reconstruction process."
Among the newly discovered footage, six will be available for public viewing at kmdb.or.kr, the Korean Movie Database website operated by KOFA, starting Thursday.
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