I was fortunate over the Lunar New Year break to get to experience some of the traditions surrounding this holiday. Along with General Scaparrotti, I met with Scholar Ha Yeon-soon, Chairman of the Kumgok Academico-Cultural Foundation. He invited us to his house and explained the significance of the various customs as we talked through the different cultural and historical elements surrounding the Lunar New Year holiday. This was a terrific event for the broader U.S. military community and  happens in part because Scholar Ha is a longtime supporter of the U.S. troops.


Scholar Ha told an interesting story about a U.S. soldier giving him chewing gum years ago. It was the first time he had ever had gum and so he chewed and then swallowed it. The soldier, noticing this, showed him how gum is meant to be continuously chewed rather than swallowed. Scholar Ha took the gum back to his town to share it with the other people in his community. Soldiers like this one made an impact and a lasting impression on Scholar Ha and now he is keen to keep giving  back. It’s a great personal example of the U.S.-ROK Alliance and the significance of people to people ties.

General Scaparrotti and his family also dressed up in traditional Korean hanbok. I am shopping for one for myself, Robyn and Sejun now as I would like to participate the next time. We also listened to a Korean stringed instrument quartet- or Gayageum- that played classic American songs like “My Way” and Korean pop music.  It was really beautiful.

To top off this wonderful experience, Scholar Ha gave me a banner for Sejun written with his elegant brushstrokes in calligraphy wishing him good health.


Hope all of you had a great Lunar New Year and wish you good health and good fortune!