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South Korean college students visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and listen to A-bomb survivor

On August 26, eight students from Seoul National University and Chung-Ang University in South Korea, members of a student group pursuing research on war damage in Asia, visited the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward, Hiroshima. The students also listened to the A-bomb account of Park Namjoo, 83, a South Korean A-bomb survivor living in Nishi Ward, and reaffirmed their resolve to help create a more peaceful world.

The eight students toured the Peace Memorial Museum, where they also met with Ms. Park. Ms. Park shared her memories of being wounded while on a streetcar, which was running about 1.9 kilometers from the hypocenter at the time of the atomic bombing, and seeing numerous bodies along the river after fleeing from the streetcar. She told them firmly, “The atomic bomb is a cruel weapon, and it should never be used again. I hope South Korea and Japan will work together and preserve the peace we have today.” Nodding their heads, the students listened closely.

Sim Hyona, 21, a fourth-year student from Seoul National University, said, “It was the first time for me to hear an A-bomb survivor’s account in person. I was overwhelmed by the fear and sorrow she felt.” The students arrived in Japan on August 23, assisted by their acquaintance, a former teacher in Hiroshima. They will return to South Korea on August 27.

(Originally published on August 27, 2016)

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