Why I love Germany so much, and how I started cycling campaign for the reunification of South Korea and North Korea
Hello! I am ChaeWon Yoo from South Korea. I studied Masters program IMES (Innovation, Management, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability) at the Technical University of Berlin. I would like to share my personal experiences related to exchanges between Korea and Germany.
There was a class called “Critical Sustainability” that I took last semester at the Technical University of Berlin. There was a task for me and other students to intervene in the society and deliver the message they wanted to transfer to society. Ever since I was a child, it has been my dream to see the reunification of North Korea and South Korea. So, in May and June, I planned a cycling campaign for the reunification of North and South Korea.
First, I wrote a demo plan and sent it to the police, and we decided the cycling route together. And I made necklaces, pickets, and flags with my friends for the campaign. On the day of the campaign, we practiced the song “Arirang Alone”, hoping for the unification of North and South Korea.
When our campaign started, the police took control of the 8-lane wide road and cleared it for us. While cycling the 13-kilometer road, we chanted, “Korea! Reunify!” telling the German people the purpose of the campaign.
The 13-kilometer long cycling route started at Mauer Park, where the wall that divided East and West Germany was located, passed the Embassy of the People’s Republic of Korea, Potsdamer Platz, and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, to the Statue of Peace. Our campaign team cycled with signs that read “We want one Korea”. And we sang “Arirang Alone” with the lyrics, “Where are our hearts going, when will we become one?” and wished for the reunification of South and North Korea.
Why do I love Germany so much?
Because Germany is actively supporting people from other countries to have a voice for freedom and human rights. For me, an ordinary graduate student from Korea, the police cleared the road for two hours and escorted us. I was really touched how the police helped me to have a bike campaign with my friends. I hope that one day, North and South Korea will be reunified so that I can ride bicycle along the DMZ in Korea with my friends. I really love South Korea and Germany. I hope that there will be many exchanges between Korea and Germany in the future.