I’ve often mentioned the city of Ch’eonan and the difficulties we’ve encountered there during our bike rides. In a much more serious vein, though, the city holds another, far more tragic distinction. “Ch’eonan” is the name given to a now famous ROK naval vessel.
On the night of March 26th, 2010, at 9:22 PM, a North Korean submarine launched a torpedo that sank the Ch’eonan in an utterly cowardly, unprovoked sneak attack. It was a stark reminder of how the thugs in the north operate. Petty terrorists whose “leaders” pretty much play to a captive audience who, for the most part, don’t know any better. It’s a shame that people like this exist in this world, but our history is filled with them and their ilk.
Today I had the honor of visiting ROK 2nd Fleet and the ROKS Ch’eonan Memorial. It was a great experience, if only to remind me why I’ve been here all these years. We might get caught up in our own little squabbles, but there’s still an enemy out there against whom we can stand without reservation. I remain amazed at the contrast between the two states: one, a people who struggled through so much to become a world economic and cultural powerhouse; and the other, virtually the same people who succumbed instead to a gangster cult of personality that leaves them in poverty and ignorance.
I’ve been here in Korea during many confrontations, and I stand behind the freedom for which we’ve all fought through all those years. ROKS Ch’eonan helps me remember that, and I salute its sailors and the countless others who have given their lives for this country.
