South Korea – Busan

With a modest population of 49 million, modern South Korea is the size of the United Kingdom and Scotland. During the past 100 years Korea has survived four major wars, 40 years of Japanese occupation and a currently divisive north/south split. The nomadic Monguls who were warring with China and being kept at bay by the Great Wall, occupied Korea and used their resources to fund their ongoing war.  

The fall of the Monguls gave Korea had a few hundred years of Ming Dynasty influenced peace and calm but it was disturbed in 1876 when the Japanese, who were just passing, decided to stay in the seaport of Busan much longer than visitors should stay. The Japanese would not leave until 1945 when they were having a few troubles back home.  
 

As the Japanese ran out the back door, the Americans and Russians walked in the front door to lend a hand to the local government. They split it in half at the 38^th parallel and shared management. The Soviets pushed a communist lifestyle in the North and the United States fostered capitalism in the south. The Communists were so inspired by their beliefs that they wanted to share them with the Southern Koreans so they decided to march south to spread the word of communism and maybe convert a few.  

Of course the United States, supporting the southern Koreans, were not big on communism so called in their pals from the United Nations to help send the communists home. Twenty-one nations responded by providing troops, ships, aircraft and medical teams. The Chinese were offended that their communist North Korean friends were being pushed around so they sent a few divisions to assist the North as well. It all got messy with too many lives lost, most being locals.

 No-one was making any ground so in 1953 it was agreed to end the war so everyone could go home. Despite everyone agreeing that the war was over, the now North and South Koreans had a fundamental conflict of belief systems so the split became a sensitive point that is still unresolved today.

Today, Busan is an expanding tourist centre where most things can be reached by a short walk. There is no sign of their recent conflict. The shops are large and air-conditioned. There is also a large traditional outdoor market but be warned that the prices are not cheap by Asian standards.

The shopping is not world class and the few historical artefacts bear strong Chinese and Japanese overtones that you might have predicted.   We wandered around the port district and paid respects at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, tasted the local fare and headed back to the ship.

Been there done that………might not be back