Globalization & The Modern World

The Last Generation

Euijongbu, South Korea - Winter 1984

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Since the end of the Korean War, South Korean society has undergone a complete political, economic and social transformation. In 1953, after a brutal Japanese occupation and civil war, the country was on life support.

Most Koreans lived in the countryside and worked the land. After just 50 years, South Korea has transformed itself into an industrial powerhouse in Asia. Recently, the country's largest automaker even built a $1.1 billion dollar assembly plant in Alabama.

The photograph of the old Korean woman was taken in a farmhouse in 1984. The story of her rough life mirrors the transformation undergone by the country.


When she was sixteeen years old, she was forced into an arranged marriage. My wife's great-grandparents traded a small plot of land & a cow for their son's new bride. Basically, she was treated as a piece of property.

During the Japanese occupation, the laws regarding marriage changed. While a woman could no longer be bought or sold, families still arranged marriages for their children. In the case of my wife's mother, she actually meet her new husband on their wedding night. My mother-in-law had no control over her future. Honestly, love was not a requirement for marriage.

In 1983, for the first time in my wife's family, a woman controlled who she married. In just three generations, a woman's status in Korean society changed forever.

One of my wife's favorite movies is "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Why? Well, when we announced our engagement, her older brother attempted to stop the marriage. However, unlike two-generations before, he had no legal authority over his sister. Just like the movie, my brother-in-law invited dozens of Korean men home for dinner. When the movie came out, even my brother-in-law recognized his character as the Greek father.

OBSERVATION: While I've attempted to remain politically neutral throughout this BLOG, I believe Globalization has partially contributed to the rise of Islamic Fundamentalism.

The dramatic changes for the status of women in Asia mirror the modern pressures currently underway in Islamic countries.

The verdict is still out whether our world can withstand this latest storm of hate & violence. Unlike facism or communism, the roots of this cultural struggle are based on corrupt religious ideals. While I don't claim to have all the answers, I believe world peace may rest in the further social & political empowerment of women in all societies. Somehow, instead of focusing on those issues which divide our world, it's time to build a permanent bridge of peaceful tolerance.

Perhaps only the mothers, daughters, & sisters of the world understand the love it takes to stop the ongoing madness.