Episode Overview: (Release Date: August 20, 2024) This episode begins our third ongoing series on mandatory military service in South Korea. As a legacy of the Korean War, all Korean men are required to serve in the military for a period of 1-3 years, and many complete their service during college. Despite how common mandatory military service is in Korea, very little is shared about the emotional experiences of this part of life for men on the peninsula. In response, our team recorded a series of interviews with students from the University of Utah’s Asia Campus (UAC) in South Korea who each share different aspects about the joys, the trauma, and the monotony of life near the DMZ. Today you will hear our host, University of Utah alum Charles Hong, speak with Jake Lee who shares their critiques of their military service in Korea. Having a grandfather from North Korea, Lee took issue with considering them as enemies which he described as part of the educational brainwashing he experienced during his service. Lee describes the bullying he saw as unfair, and expresses sadness knowing what some junior soldiers had to endure. Production: This season of The People’s Archive is on Student Soldiers in South Korea, and is produced by Alaina Choi and Charles Hong, and hosted by Charles Hong, with audio editing by Katie Park. The interview was recorded in the fall of 2020. Connect with Us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peoplesarchivepodcast/

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