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From My Service in Korea, I learned…

Lt Col, USAF (Ret.) Aaron D. Trimble

From my service in the Republic of Korea I learned what it meant to become inextricably and spiritually linked to a country and its people.

My earliest introduction to Korea and its people began at Clark Air Base in the Philippines, when in October 1983 North Korea orchestrated the Rangoon bombing intending to assassinate South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan. When wounded victims were flown to Clark for emergency treatment, my wife and I were asked to assist with their welfare and security. From these survivors, I learned first-hand about the horrors of that event along with the bravery shown by many South Koreans who rushed in to assist their wounded comrades immediately following the explosion.

When I think about my tours in Korea I remember the old Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.”

While assigned to USFK/J2 from 1992-1994, I began to gain a much better understanding of this astounding country, by immersing myself in its history, culture, and people. Our relationship with ROK counterparts was professional but we also developed close friendships. In June 1994, tensions began ramping up dramatically on the peninsula after North Korea shut down its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon and removed spent fuel rods containing enough plutonium to build five or six nuclear weapons. Throughout the pending crisis the resolve of the ROK military and their unmitigated trust in U.S. support was never stronger as we all prepared for the possibility of another conflict on the peninsula. Fortunately, diplomacy prevailed.

What I was unaware of at the time; however, was that the Korean People’s Army (KPA) were also taking steps to undermine the Armistice Agreement. With the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries, North Korea no longer trusted the Czech and Polish Neutral Nation Security Council members and by 1993 expelled them. More significantly, in May 1994 the KPA also announced they would no longer participate in the Military Armistice Commission and subsequently the Chinese People’s Volunteers withdrew its own delegation.

It was during my final tour from 1997-1999 while assigned to the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC), that I gained the clearest perspective on the consequences of the KPA activities pertaining to the Armistice and the cruciality of the U.S. – ROK military relationship.

Despite the KPA’s effort to chip away at the very document that provided an end to hostilities in 1953, the South Korean government and military were resolute. They continued to maintain a positive attitude, worked closely with, and encouraged all UNCMAC efforts to coerce them back to the Armistice Agreement.

With South Korean support, particularly from the Republic of Korea Advisory Group, UNCMAC held intense and arduous negotiations with the KPA and eventually established a General Officer (GO) crisis management dialogue channel with the first meeting held between both sides on 23 June 1998.

During negotiations to develop meeting procedures, the KPA did everything they could to exclude the South Koreans from participation in the GO meetings. There was a great sense of accomplishment when at every one of the nine senior level GO meetings I participated in, a South Korean general officer was always sitting across the table from the KPA in a picture of solidarity with the other UNCMAC member nation representatives.

LtCol Trimble (center right) ‘on the line’ for MIA remains return ceremony at the Joint Security Area

LtCol Trimble at the DMZ with ROKA LTC Chun In-bum

What did you learn from serving in Korea? Let us know –

Sharing your experiences from serving in Korea can be a powerful way to connect with others who have had similar experiences. By sharing your story, you may be able to help others who are currently serving in Korea or who are preparing to do so. You can share insights about the culture, the people, and the challenges you faced while serving. Your story can also help to shed light on the sacrifices that service members and their families make in order to protect our freedoms. So, if you have a story to share, we encourage you to take the time to put it down in writing and send it to KDVA.MyServiceInKorea@gmail.com along with any photos that help to tell your story.

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