Key points:
- This year marks the 80th anniversary of Korea’s division and the 75th anniversary of the Korean War.
- “Rebuilding the Fallen Fence: A Korean American Family” is a poignant and deeply personal memoir by the Rev. Suk-Chong Yu, a retired United Methodist pastor and firsthand victim of the Korean War.
- Yu chronicles the shattering impact of the Korean War on his family, delves into his personal path of rebuilding and the eventual reconnection of family members scattered across several continents.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of Korea’s division and the 75th anniversary of the Korean War, which erupted on June 25, 1950.
The brutal conflict resulted in the deaths of 500,000 Chinese soldiers, approximately 50,000 U.S. and U.N. forces, and 3 million Koreans from both the North and South, including countless civilians. A military armistice agreement signed on July 27, 1953, left an estimated 10 million separated family members across the divided peninsula.
“Rebuilding the Fallen Fence: A Korean American Family” is a poignant and deeply personal memoir by the Rev. Suk-Chong Yu, a retired United Methodist pastor and firsthand victim of the Korean War. Yu’s narrative, originally published in Korean and now translated into English, offers a unique lens into 20th-century Korean history, spanning generations and continents and standing as a testament to the enduring power of faith, family and the human spirit amidst unimaginable adversity.
The book is structured in two parts. Part I chronicles the shattering impact of the Korean War on the Yu family, whose lives were irrevocably “fallen.” Part II delves into the author’s personal path of rebuilding and the eventual reconnection of family members scattered across South and North Koreas, America and Europe, illustrating how the fence was “rebuilt.”
Yu begins by immersing the reader in the brutal reality of the Korean War. His vivid recollections from a child’s perspective paint a harrowing picture of a nation torn apart.
The family, living in Munsan near the 38th parallel, was immediately caught in the crossfire. Yu recounts the chilling moment when his father, a former pastor turned anti-communist leader, was kidnapped by communists less than 15 minutes after returning home from hiding in Seoul.
“His hair looked as white as snow,” Yu recalls, describing the last glimpse of his father, who was 50 years old at the time and never seen again. This profound loss, coupled with the family’s subsequent scattering, forms the “fallen fence” of the title.
The war’s devastation extends to other siblings. Yu’s eldest sister, Hee-jung, and second sister, Hee-sung, defected to North Korea, a decision born from complex political convictions and the chaos of war. Their stories, often gleaned from later reunions, offer rare glimpses into lives lived under a vastly different ideology. The youngest brother, Suk-young (later David), was adopted by an American family, a poignant reflection of the thousands of Korean orphans who found new homes abroad.
These early chapters are a raw, unvarnished account of a family ripped apart by ideological conflict and the sheer brutality of war, leaving readers to grapple with the immense human cost of division.
Part II of the memoir shifts to Yu’s personal journey of healing and rebuilding, beginning with childhood experiences that shaped his patriotism and his eventual calling to ministry. Yu recounts a formative moment in elementary school where he sacrificed himself to take punishment for a classmate, an act he attributes to the early influence of Christian teachings. This sense of self-sacrifice and commitment to others becomes a recurring theme throughout his life.
Yu traces his vocational path from seminary training to his early career as an editor at the Christian Literature Society of Korea, and later to an academic position at Chung-Ang University. Along the way, he crossed paths with influential thinkers like Dr. Yoon Sung-bum, a pioneer in indigenous Korean theology, and Dr. Park Dae-sun, a bold scholar who challenged South Korea’s military dictatorship. Yu’s experiences with government censorship and student protests reflect the tense political climate of South Korea during his early career.
The narrative also illuminates the lives of his siblings. His fourth sister, Hee-young, migrated to Germany in the 1960s to work as a nurse, while her husband labored as a miner. Their stories highlight the courage and sacrifice of Korea’s “guest worker” generation. Another sister, Hee-sook, and her husband pursued the American dream, building a life of faith and perseverance despite language barriers and racial discrimination.
Perhaps the most compelling chapters are those detailing the author’s multiple reunions with his sisters in North Korea. These trips — beginning in 2004, decades after their separation — offer a rare and intimate look at life on opposite sides of the world’s most heavily fortified border. Yu candidly shares the initial awkwardness and the eventual rediscovery of deep familial bonds, transcending ideological divides. He describes the joy of shared meals, songs and laughter with his North Korean relatives, even amidst the stark realities of their impoverished society.
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One of the most powerful moments came when Yu led a secret worship service for his sisters, reading from Jeremiah 29:4-7, a passage about thriving even in exile. These reunions profoundly reshaped his perspective. He came to see North Koreans not as enemies, but as “brothers and sisters in need of God’s mercy and care.”
His reflections on the Korean War and his call for reconciliation are deeply spiritual and morally urgent. He believes that, like the biblical story of Jacob and Joseph, reunification must come through forgiveness and the agency of the Korean people themselves.
The book also delves into the complexities of international adoption through the story of his younger brother, David. Yu explores the challenges of identity, discrimination and the ultimate triumph of love within David’s adoptive American family. He offers thoughtful suggestions for improving the international adoption process, emphasizing the importance of genuine love, cultural connection and ongoing support for adoptees.
The memoir culminates with the author’s own reflections on his life with his late wife, Yon Sil, particularly her struggle with dementia. He shares tender anecdotes of her “returning to 2 years old” and his unwavering devotion as her caregiver, embodying the “warm hands” metaphor that runs through the book.
In her foreword, Yu’s granddaughter, Hope Sun-Mi Alice Yu, aptly notes that the memoir brings a unique perspective to Asian American literature. Unlike many contemporary works that are often critical and written by younger authors, Yu’s narrative offers a complete and true story from the perspective of an older Asian person, providing agency to a generation often depicted through stereotypes. It delves into the “full complexity of life rooted in the everyday,” finding humor and grace even in the shadows of war.
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung of the Ohio Episcopal Area offered similar praise for Yu’s memoir.
“The pain and wounds caused by the division of the Korean Peninsula cannot be expressed in words. However, the author overcomes the pain of the times with the value of faith and calmly records the complex discourse of reality,” Jung wrote in a blurb on the book’s back cover.
“Rebuilding the Fallen Fence” is more than a family history; it is a powerful testament to the human spirit’s capacity for survival, adaptation and love. It offers a vision of faith that does not ignore suffering but seeks to redeem it through compassion and connection. This memoir is essential reading for anyone interested in Korean history, the Korean diaspora, family resilience and the enduring power of Christian faith in a fractured world.
Kim is director of Korean and Asian news at United Methodist Communications. Contact him at 615-742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digests.