SOUTH KOREA: Children take part in river swim in bid to encourage Korean reunification

Record ID: 211067

  • Title: SOUTH KOREA: Children take part in river swim in bid to encourage Korean reunification
  • Date: 19th July 2007
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) PRINCIPAL OF DUKSOO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHOI KWANG-HWAN SAYING: "The children started crossing the river to commemorate the Korean War and to remember the hardships and troubles Koreans faced during the war."
  • Embargoed: 3rd August 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9HZQYXOFJKCWT0J6X479XX899
  • Story Text: Hundreds of South Korean children swam across Seoul's Han River on Wednesday (July 18) in the hope of encouraging the reunification of the Korean peninsula.
    More than 800 elementary school students gathered to swim the 1,400 metres across the river in the east of the South Korean capital. They were taking part in the 13th consecutive event.
    The swim was first organized in 1994 in memory of the Korean War (1950-1953) and to pray for the peninsula's reunification. In the inaugural year, 625 children swam just 625 metres. The number 625 symbolized the day the Korean War broke out, June 25th, 1950. The six represented the month of June, and the 25, the day of the month.
    "The children started crossing the river to commemorate the Korean War and to remember the hardships and troubles Koreans faced during the war," said Duksoo Elementary School Principal Choi Kwang-Hwan.
    This year 821 children from 118 elementary schools and kindergartens took part. They brought the total number of children who've crossed the river in the thirteen years of the event to more than 12,000. Seoul city has awarded certificates to all those who successfully made the distance.
    Indeed, one participant said, it was no small feat.
    "It was difficult to swim against the strong currents," one boy said.
    But others made light of the trial.
    "It was fun and not scary because I did the same thing when I was in the first grade," a girl said.
    "It was scary, but I crossed well because I did the same thing last year," another boy said.
    One hundred and twenty lifeguards, together with an ambulance, were on hand to ensure the childrens' safety.
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