*Out to dinner on date night*

Me: so, N. Korea seems pretty upset.

Isaac: ya, they were talking about warheads or something.

…it may seem obvious, but sometimes we forget the implications of not living in the United States anymore. It is strange to realize that we live in a country where there is an actual risk of being attacked/invaded. The tensions with N. Korea are very real, but we all live in sort of a detached fashion, where life just goes on despite the imminent threat or newest CNN headline and I suppose that this will be how it is for the foreseeable future. I am beginning to “get used to” (if you can) the fact that I hear more about whats going on in N. Korea from social media than from people living here in S. Korea.

All of that to say that there is a very strong American military presence here, and we have prepared in case of an emergency. We are just adjusting to this new normal. We have yet to visit the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) where N. and S. Korea meet, but hope to soon. We have heard a few heart wrenching stories of people here in Seoul that still have family stuck in N. Korea, with many more stories going untold because they are so personal and fresh. I know that the issue 0f oppression in N. Korea and Kim Jong-un’s rule is often made light of, but it is extremely serious and heartbreaking to understand the reality of what is happening about 30 miles away.

Here are a couple of interesting links I’ve found that put a little perspective on the differences between North Korea and its neighbors.

11 Differences between North Korea and South Korea

Illegal Photos Taken in North Korea