VOLUME 8 NO. 6 JULY 25 – AUGUST 7, 2019 SUBMIT STORIES TO: [email protected] COCOM STRIPESKOREA.COMST FACEBOOK.COM/STRIPESPACIFIC FREE INSIDE INFO PAGES 2-3 DMZ/JSA TOURS REOPEN PAGES 6-7 Special pullout inside! FEAR OF THE FAN An urban legend heats up in the summer BY CHIHON KIM, STRIPES KOREA very time I clean the electronic fan in my parents keeping the legend alive and tell- this devilishly hot weather, I recall an old ing me to keep the door open when I slept with Eurban legend from my childhood: death the fan on. by fan. Where did this improbable story start? De- Some Koreans believe that if you sleep with pending on who you ask, the origin differs. One a fan on in an enclosed space, like a room with of the stranger stories is that the South Korean the door shut, you will die. This may sound ab- government created the myth as propaganda to surd to you, but it’s no joke to some, and it dates back decades. Even in the 1990s, I remember SEE FEAR ON PAGE 11 File photo 2 STRIPES KOREA A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION JULY 25 – AUGUST 7, 2019 Korea’s Max D. Lederer Jr. Publisher 2019-20 ‘Best’ Lt. Col. Richard E. McClintic Commander recognized Joshua M Lashbrook c Chief of Staff his month, Stars and Stripes Pacifice Michael Davidson commander Lt. Col. Rich McClintic Revenue Director handed out certificates to some of the Chris Verigan T Engagement Director winners of this year’s Best of the Pacific Marie Woods competition. The winners of the annual vote Publishing and Media Design Director appear in the 2019-20 edition of Best of the Chris Carlson Publishing and Media Design Manager Pacific magazine. It is comprised of 24 cat- Enrique “Rick” W. Villanueva Jr. egories, with some including small and large Korea Area Manager base winners, and four regions - mainland Jinsun Song Japan, Okinawa, Korea, Guam. The 48-page Operations Manager magazine, which is stocked full of quotes Kentaro Shimura Production Manager from the military community, can be picked Rie Miyoshi up at Stars and Stripes boxes and offices Engagement Manager across U.S. bases in Korea. Denisse Rauda Publishing and Media Design Editor USAG Humphreys Exchange - Best Exchange Publishing and Media Design Writers ChiHon Kim Shoji Kudaka Takahiro Takiguchi Layout Designers Ayako Kamio Yukiyo Oda Yuko Okazaki Kayoko Shimoda Multimedia Consultants Max Genao Doug Johnson Brian Jones Jason Lee Hans Simpson Chae Pang Yi Gianni Youn Robert Zuckerman Graphic Designers Kenichi Ogasawara Yosuke Tsuji Sales Support Kazumi Hasegawa Hiromi Isa Ichiro Katayanagi Yoko Noro Yoichi Okazaki Yusuke Sato Chae Yon Son Saori Tamanaha For feedback and inquiries, contact [email protected] To place an ad, call DSN 721-7145 stripeskorea.com/contact DHL - Best Pac-Wide Resort Osan AB FSS - Best MWR/FSS/MCCS JULY 25 – AUGUST 7, 2019 A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION STRIPES KOREA 3 Osan AB MiG Alleys Bowling Center - Best Bowling Alley Osan AB Express - Best Express Mini Mart Osan AB ITT - Best Travel Agency Kunsan AB Express - Best Small Base Express Osan AB Chilis - Best Date Night Restaurant & Family Dinner Osan AB Enlisted Club - Best On-Base Enlisted Club Osan AB Outdoor Rec - Best On-Base Outdoor Rec USAG Daegu Evergreen Club - Best Small Base Sunday Brunch Osan AB Turumi Lodge - Best On-Base Lodging Osan AB Officer’s Club - Best Sunday Brunch 4 STRIPES KOREA A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION JULY 25 – AUGUST 7, 2019 JULY 25 – AUGUSTT 7, 201920 A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION STRIPES KOREA 5 Photo courtesy of Seoul Bike Seoul Bike app provides Speakin’ fun way to explore big city Let’s goo Korean BY CHIHON KIM, for a bikeke STRIPES KOREA Seoul Bike WHERE: As of the end of last year, there were 1,540 bike rental centers, and ride! ike-sharing services have the average distance between rental stations was 500 meters. This year taken large cities globally by Seoul will increase the number of rental centers to 2,140. In 2020, it is Bstorm, and Seoul is also a host expected to expand to 3,040 and the distance between rental centers Do you know knoow wherew the nearest to its own fleet of wheels. Bicycles are will be reduced to 300 meters. bike share is? Gakkaun jajeongeo a good option for exploring the city, HOW TO RENT: Credit, T-money and mobile payment including PAYCO and daeyeosoga eodi inneunji aseyo? while reducing pollution and help- KAKAO PAY are available. Want to go for a bike ride? Jajeongeo ing to alleviate traffic congestion. In- TIP: If traveling with multiple people, you can buy a group ticket for tareo gallaeyo? spired by Bixi, a public bicycle shar- multiple bike rentals. See website. Helmet: Helmet https://www.bikeseoul.com/ (ENG) ing system serving Montreal, Canada, WEBSITE: Bicycle: Jajeongeo Seoul installed its own public bike service called “Ttareungyi” in 2014, Bike lock: jajeongeo Jamulsoe with about 20,000 bikes now in circu- You’ll recognize Ttareungyi bikes to return the bike you’ve rented to the Bike parking: Jajeongeo jucha lation. A few other companies offer by their white and green color. Each spot where you picked it up. Bikes can Follow me. Nareul ttara oseyo. bike-sharing in the city, but the ser- bike is equipped with a lock and card be returned to any of the Ttareungyi Watch out for cars! Cha josimhaseyo! vice area is limited. reader. spots near where your exploring takes My bike has broken down. Reserve your own set of wheels Both the app and website are avail- you. A “Return is completed” mes- Jajeongeoga gojang nasseoyo. sage will appear on the bike’s screen ahead of time by usingsing thethe SeoulSeoul BikeBike ablablee iinn EngEnglishlish aass well. Register your My bike got a flat tire! Taieo-ga TT-Money-Money ccarda or transportation to let you know you’ve returned it app or website for a mere 1,0001,000 won peongkeu nasseoyo! card for quicker service. correctly. And don’t forget to lock the (about $0.85) per hour.hour. You I am thirsty. Mongmallayo don’t have to be a mem-mem- OncOncee you’ve registered bike to prevent theft. I need some water. Mul masigo ber to use the servicervice your card, you can tap Next time you find yourself in and they even offerer yoyouru card on the bike’s Seoul, give this cost-effective and sipeoyo. longer-term rentalal cacard reader and go! planet-saving alternative a shot for Let’s rest here for a while. tickets by the week,k, The best part of your adventure. It’s good exercise and Yeogiseo jamkkan swieotda gayo. month, six monthshs a Ttareungyi is that a fun time! – ChiHon Kim and full year. yoyou’re not required [email protected] Courtesy of Seoul Bike 6 STRIPES KOREA A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION JULY 25 – AUGUST 7, 2019 VISITORS TO SEE MORE THAN BEFORE South Korea reopens DMZ/JSA tours STORY AND PHOTO BY year ago. That’s because South back, unimpressed, from the au- formation with an arm-swinging and returns at 3:30 p.m., and in JOSEPH DITZLER, Korean authorities lessened the thoritarian North Korea. gait. addition to the JSA also includes STARS AND STRIPES Published: July 4, 2019 tight choreography around per- But the atmosphere today at School, civic and business a stop at the third infiltration sonal visits as part of their bid to the remote, surreal compound groups from the South schedule tunnel, a walk along 870 feet of a ou don’t have to be leader reach some form of normal rela- surrounded by rice paddies and their trips to the DMZ months in tunnel dug 240 feet underground of the free world to visit tions with their northern neigh- wilderness is much more relaxed advance. Our small group was by the North Koreans years ago YPanmunjom — the truce bors. than it was before the South in bunched together with a group of as a means of infiltrating troops village in the Demilitarized Zone For example, guards on either May reopened its side for public journalists from one of South Ko- into the South. where President Donald Trump side of the line demarking the tours. rea’s largest broadcasters. Their The tour also stops at a South shook hands June 30 with Kim boundary between North Korea Our escort from U.S. Forces CEO, polished and businesslike Korean hilltop observation post Jong Un of North Korea. and South Korea no longer carry Korea said that only visitors and in a blue suit, moved like a rock with a good view of the opposing Numerous tour groups pro- sidearms. Visi- guards from one star on tour, accompanied by a side. It also includes the Dorasan vide opportunities to see the spot tors have a little EXCLUSIVE NEWS FROM: side are in that photographer who captured the train station, the northernmost where the three-year Korean more opportunity small but histori- visit for posterity. station in South Korea along the War ended with an armistice to walk the area, cally heavy area You can’t visit the JSA on your rail line that once connected the in 1953. Tour companies in the although closely at a time. Neither own (checkpoints lie between the two countries. private sector abound, along monitored. side coordinates highway and your destination), The tour company also oper- with military operations like the Past images with the other; it just seems to but tours can be arranged online.