[Journalism Internship] UAC and KMA plan to boost inter-school cooperation

Journalism Internship

Published: 06 Apr. 2022, 11:00 Updated: 06 Apr. 2022, 11:07

[Journalism Internship] UAC and KMA plan to boost inter-school cooperation

Cadets at the Korea Military Academy in Nowon District, northern Seoul. [KMA]

The University Utah Asia Campus (UAC), an extended campus of the University of Utah in Incheon, is in talks with the Korea Military Academy (KMA) to boost cooperation on numerous fronts, both schools announced.

“Building a relationship with KMA will help our students recognize the important contributions of both Korean veterans and veterans from the United States to support the Korean War,” said Gregory Hill, chief administrative officer of UAC.

John Daemin Woo, assistant director of UAC’s Career & Internship Development Center, said UAC has lots of activities and plans in mind for the two schools, such as linking international students at UAC with KMA cadets in so-called buddy-to-buddy programs.

Lee Han-sol, an assistant professor of English at KMA, said talks with UAC for cooperation were going well, stressing he hopes both schools could get together to honor the fallen soldiers in the Battle of Kapyong.

Ties between the Korean military and UAC go way back, to the Battle of Kapyong, which marks its 71st anniversary this year. The battle was fought between the U.S. and Chinese soldiers in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, from April 23 to 25, 1951, during the Korean War. The battle is also known for the Miracle of Kapyong because all 600 American soldiers who participated in the battle were known to have returned safely to their homes, while 350 Chinese soldiers died and 830 were captured.

Many American soldiers who fought in the battle as part of the 213th Artillery Service Battery are said to have been from Utah.

In December 1951, U.S. President Truman gave the Presidential Commendation to the 213th Artillery Service Battery. In 2008, a statue commemorating the Battle of Kapyong was erected at the Veterans Park in Cedar, Utah.

Hill mentioned that UAC hopes to use the Battle of Kapyong as a sort of centerpiece for an event the two schools can do together.

The University of Utah Asia Campus in Songdo, Incheon. [UAC]

According to the Korean War Legacy Foundation, one student from the University of Utah, Rondo T. Farrer, joined the battle of Kapyong in 1948. Farrer was born in 1930 and served in the U.S. military since 1948. He was a student at the University of Utah, and he was sent to South Korea during his first year at school.

Several UAC students expressed high hopes for their school’s collaboration with KMA.

Jeon Won-jeong, a junior majoring in communication at UAC, said, “It would be nice to hold special lectures or invitation speeches where students can learn about veterans and their history.”

Jessica Slovon, a junior majoring in communication, mentioned, “It is an honor to serve your country, especially when you participate in such a historical war that allowed Korea to become today’s country. All military veterans are honored on Memorial Day in the United States, no matter when or where they served.”

A junior majoring in psychology and communication at UAC, Lani Young, said, “I know that my great-grandfather fought in the Korean War. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to meet him, but I understand and respect the risks he took for peace. I’m not aware of any Memorial Day specifically for Korean War veterans in the States, but they are honored with other veterans on Veterans Day on Nov. 11.”

BY KIM JI-WOO, KIM SU-MIN AND JEONG HYE-WON [thisisjiwoo1123@gmail.com, jhyewon108@gmail.com, suminkim5353@gmail.com]