60 Minutes Interview with Seong-Kyong (Part 2)
Seong-kyeong: To our dismay however, some of the survivors entered the wrong vehicle. The one's with the Infected in them. This included Su-an, the daughter of the businessman, a baseball player's girlfriend, and an elderly couple. It was a tense moment as my husband, the businessman who I learned later whose name was Seok Woo, and a baseball player named Yong-guk prepared to rescue them. We only had a few weapons with us, namely baseball bats and some riot gear my husband captured. My husband didn't arm himself as he was an expert MMA fighter. I was worried for him. It was a tense as the moment they entered the vehicle full of Infected, there was no telling if they would come out or not. It would be another 20-30 minutes till they returned. They were able to use the cover of darkness once the train entered the tunnels since the Infected were blind in the dark. They appeared to also be attracted to sound.
Steve Kroft: Was the rescue successful?
Seong-kyeong: It came at a heavy cost, including my husband [Tries to wipe hear tears]. One of the older women, someone named In-gil, sacrificed her life so that we could get to the other cars safely. However, some passengers lead by a paranoid businessman named Yon-suk rallied the remaining passengers thinking we were Infected. We were shunned at first while my husband tried to hold them off. That was the time he was bitten on the hand. Yet he fought until his body gave in to the virus just as the Infected piled up on him. That was when the bastards on the other side decided to let us enter. Seok Woo confronted the selfish Yong-guk and demanded answers why we were left behind. The passengers began to riot as they voted to lock us up in another train car. [A single tear falls from her cheek]
Steve Kroft: We may end here if you feel uncomfortable.
Seong-kyeong: No it's alright. I need to continue. The world needs to know our story.
Steve Kroft: Alright. So how many of you were locked up in the other car?
Seong-kyeong: There were six of us. Aside from me, in it were Seok Woo and his daughter Su-an, Yong-guk [the baseball player] and his girlfriend Jin-hee, and a homeless man whom I would never know his name. It turned out to be a miracle for us in disguise as one of the disgruntled passengers, the sister of In-gil, let the Infected in as payback for what the paranoid passengers did to her sister. Today, no amount of sympathy exists from me for them except for In-gil and her sister Jong-jil. What happened next was a near collision with another burning KTX train at East Daegu Train Station meant we had to disembark. This was where the homeless man made his stand, sacrificing his life so that Seok Woo, Su-an, Yong-guk, Jin-hee and I could escape. I will never forget his selfless act. However, the Infected were hot in pursuit. This was where I last saw Yong-guk and Jin-hee separate from us. I assume they were killed as the Infected overrun the place. We managed to get on one of the trains that were moving as the Infected held on to it. Seok Woo was able to fend them off. Wondering who was the one driving the train, we were all surprised to see it was the greedy Yon-suk who was showing signs of the virus. He somehow got infected. Before he turned into one of the gumiho, he actually begged us to take him to his mother down in Busan. When he turned, there was an alterceration with Seok Woo. There, Seok Woo was bitten before he threw the infected Yon-suk to the ground. Bitten, the man was in the stages of grief while Su-an and I could only watch with pure sadness. However, Seok Woo knew he had to go. He did not want to be a burden to his daughter. So he jumped off the train, sacrificing his life so the both of us could continue down into the Busan Safe Zone.
Steve Kroft: That must have been horrible. I'm so sorry to hear that.
Seong-kyeong: Once the train stopped, both of us disembarked. We passed by a wreckage of another train, one that looked like it was shot by the military. Bodies were seen in the river below. There were more bodies as we approached the tunnel, where barricades and electric fences were erected. I was holding Su-an by the hand as she sang "Farewell to Thee" in Korean just as soldiers from the ROK Army rescued us. We were then screened in a medical tent along with the rest of the refugees that made it to the Busan Safe Zone. Once it was cleaned, some military officers and authorities asked about our ordeal. I told them everything from the start of the journey from Seoul all the way down here to Busan. We were then processed in the zone where I later would bring Su-an to her mother. It was a tearful reunion, obviously bittersweet since her father was now dead. The medical authorities decided to transfer Su-an, her mother, and I to Jeju Island where the United States Forces Korea where assisting the ROK Armed Forces set up a safe-zone for the critical. I was due to deliver the following month. On August 18, 2016, I gave birth to baby girl that I named Soo-nam.
Steve Kroft: What was it like here in Jeju?
Seong-kyeong: While Jeju was cramped with refugees and foreign tourists that were stranded, it was much better than Busan I suppose. While I was there, I was waking up terrified that the Busan Perimeter would fall. Thankfully, that was not the case. The virus did bring some positivity for once. The Japanese, once our most hated enemies, even lent a hand of assistance. The Japan Self Defense Forces were deployed to Jeju to assist in setting up humanitarian efforts. It was the first time the Japanese set foot in the Korean peninsula. Of course, we had another problem. The North. The Glorious Leader up there was obviously up to no good. Once he realized our nation was weak, he prepared to take over us in the name of uniting the peninsula. I would never forget his threats to the South, Japan, and the United States. The world's focus was on our nation that was destroyed by a virus that should only exist in science fiction. Even the 2016 Olympics in Brazil was overshadowed by the events that occurred here along with Kim Jong-un's threats of invasion.
Steve Kroft: Do you remember the days leading to the Second Korean War?
Seong-kyeong: Yes I do. From the time on the 27th of August when North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the sea. Panic was everywhere from the Busan Safe Zone down here to Jeju Island. The RIMPAC fleet from Hawaii was here to assist us of course in the hopes of deterring North Korea but the madman seemed to never end his rants. On the fateful night of September 2nd, 2016, I would never forget the footage of North Korean artillery and rockets raining down on Seoul all while KPA tanks and armored vehicles crossed the DMZ. It was the day every Korean feared since July 27, 1953. It did backfire on Kim though, as the superior forces of the U.S., ROK, and the rest of the RIMPAC fleet managed to repel the invasion. What Kim inadvertently did was almost create a second outbreak when his foolish KPA got infected and attempted to retreat back into North Korea. That's when he showed his true madness when he unleashed a nuclear missile on the town of Paju while attempting to use the Infected to be airdropped as weapons into the Busan Safe Zone. It was when the Chinese had enough of his madness and promptly disposed of him on September 5th, 2016. The madness was over at that time and the world could breathe a sigh relief even if the problems weren't really over yet.
Steve Kroft: Following the end of the Second Korean War, do you currently have plans to return to the mainland.
Seong-kyeong: Not as of now. I fear for the safety of my child. Even though I heard the U.S., the UN, and the ROK have slowly retaken Seoul, it's best to remain here. Jeju is an island surrounded by water. Plus, I feel its like paradise. I also fear for radiation levels from the nuclear strike on Paju. I want my baby to grow up healthy. So that's it, I'll stay for a long as ever. The good news I have heard is that the North may reunite with the South soon but this may take time, a lot of time. It could be years or even decades. However, it is the start of things getting better at least. I'm still in contact with Su-an and her mother. All of us are just glad to be alive and well.
Steve Kroft: Thank you for your time Mrs. Seong-kyeong. It is a pleasure for you to be here with us to share your account in this unprecedented era of human era.
Seong-kyeong: Of course. Thank you too.
- 60 Minutes Special Interview, Broadcast Date: February 23, 2017
Steve Kroft: Was the rescue successful?
Seong-kyeong: It came at a heavy cost, including my husband [Tries to wipe hear tears]. One of the older women, someone named In-gil, sacrificed her life so that we could get to the other cars safely. However, some passengers lead by a paranoid businessman named Yon-suk rallied the remaining passengers thinking we were Infected. We were shunned at first while my husband tried to hold them off. That was the time he was bitten on the hand. Yet he fought until his body gave in to the virus just as the Infected piled up on him. That was when the bastards on the other side decided to let us enter. Seok Woo confronted the selfish Yong-guk and demanded answers why we were left behind. The passengers began to riot as they voted to lock us up in another train car. [A single tear falls from her cheek]
Steve Kroft: We may end here if you feel uncomfortable.
Seong-kyeong: No it's alright. I need to continue. The world needs to know our story.
Steve Kroft: Alright. So how many of you were locked up in the other car?
Seong-kyeong: There were six of us. Aside from me, in it were Seok Woo and his daughter Su-an, Yong-guk [the baseball player] and his girlfriend Jin-hee, and a homeless man whom I would never know his name. It turned out to be a miracle for us in disguise as one of the disgruntled passengers, the sister of In-gil, let the Infected in as payback for what the paranoid passengers did to her sister. Today, no amount of sympathy exists from me for them except for In-gil and her sister Jong-jil. What happened next was a near collision with another burning KTX train at East Daegu Train Station meant we had to disembark. This was where the homeless man made his stand, sacrificing his life so that Seok Woo, Su-an, Yong-guk, Jin-hee and I could escape. I will never forget his selfless act. However, the Infected were hot in pursuit. This was where I last saw Yong-guk and Jin-hee separate from us. I assume they were killed as the Infected overrun the place. We managed to get on one of the trains that were moving as the Infected held on to it. Seok Woo was able to fend them off. Wondering who was the one driving the train, we were all surprised to see it was the greedy Yon-suk who was showing signs of the virus. He somehow got infected. Before he turned into one of the gumiho, he actually begged us to take him to his mother down in Busan. When he turned, there was an alterceration with Seok Woo. There, Seok Woo was bitten before he threw the infected Yon-suk to the ground. Bitten, the man was in the stages of grief while Su-an and I could only watch with pure sadness. However, Seok Woo knew he had to go. He did not want to be a burden to his daughter. So he jumped off the train, sacrificing his life so the both of us could continue down into the Busan Safe Zone.
Steve Kroft: That must have been horrible. I'm so sorry to hear that.
Seong-kyeong: Once the train stopped, both of us disembarked. We passed by a wreckage of another train, one that looked like it was shot by the military. Bodies were seen in the river below. There were more bodies as we approached the tunnel, where barricades and electric fences were erected. I was holding Su-an by the hand as she sang "Farewell to Thee" in Korean just as soldiers from the ROK Army rescued us. We were then screened in a medical tent along with the rest of the refugees that made it to the Busan Safe Zone. Once it was cleaned, some military officers and authorities asked about our ordeal. I told them everything from the start of the journey from Seoul all the way down here to Busan. We were then processed in the zone where I later would bring Su-an to her mother. It was a tearful reunion, obviously bittersweet since her father was now dead. The medical authorities decided to transfer Su-an, her mother, and I to Jeju Island where the United States Forces Korea where assisting the ROK Armed Forces set up a safe-zone for the critical. I was due to deliver the following month. On August 18, 2016, I gave birth to baby girl that I named Soo-nam.
Steve Kroft: What was it like here in Jeju?
Seong-kyeong: While Jeju was cramped with refugees and foreign tourists that were stranded, it was much better than Busan I suppose. While I was there, I was waking up terrified that the Busan Perimeter would fall. Thankfully, that was not the case. The virus did bring some positivity for once. The Japanese, once our most hated enemies, even lent a hand of assistance. The Japan Self Defense Forces were deployed to Jeju to assist in setting up humanitarian efforts. It was the first time the Japanese set foot in the Korean peninsula. Of course, we had another problem. The North. The Glorious Leader up there was obviously up to no good. Once he realized our nation was weak, he prepared to take over us in the name of uniting the peninsula. I would never forget his threats to the South, Japan, and the United States. The world's focus was on our nation that was destroyed by a virus that should only exist in science fiction. Even the 2016 Olympics in Brazil was overshadowed by the events that occurred here along with Kim Jong-un's threats of invasion.
Steve Kroft: Do you remember the days leading to the Second Korean War?
Seong-kyeong: Yes I do. From the time on the 27th of August when North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the sea. Panic was everywhere from the Busan Safe Zone down here to Jeju Island. The RIMPAC fleet from Hawaii was here to assist us of course in the hopes of deterring North Korea but the madman seemed to never end his rants. On the fateful night of September 2nd, 2016, I would never forget the footage of North Korean artillery and rockets raining down on Seoul all while KPA tanks and armored vehicles crossed the DMZ. It was the day every Korean feared since July 27, 1953. It did backfire on Kim though, as the superior forces of the U.S., ROK, and the rest of the RIMPAC fleet managed to repel the invasion. What Kim inadvertently did was almost create a second outbreak when his foolish KPA got infected and attempted to retreat back into North Korea. That's when he showed his true madness when he unleashed a nuclear missile on the town of Paju while attempting to use the Infected to be airdropped as weapons into the Busan Safe Zone. It was when the Chinese had enough of his madness and promptly disposed of him on September 5th, 2016. The madness was over at that time and the world could breathe a sigh relief even if the problems weren't really over yet.
Steve Kroft: Following the end of the Second Korean War, do you currently have plans to return to the mainland.
Seong-kyeong: Not as of now. I fear for the safety of my child. Even though I heard the U.S., the UN, and the ROK have slowly retaken Seoul, it's best to remain here. Jeju is an island surrounded by water. Plus, I feel its like paradise. I also fear for radiation levels from the nuclear strike on Paju. I want my baby to grow up healthy. So that's it, I'll stay for a long as ever. The good news I have heard is that the North may reunite with the South soon but this may take time, a lot of time. It could be years or even decades. However, it is the start of things getting better at least. I'm still in contact with Su-an and her mother. All of us are just glad to be alive and well.
Steve Kroft: Thank you for your time Mrs. Seong-kyeong. It is a pleasure for you to be here with us to share your account in this unprecedented era of human era.
Seong-kyeong: Of course. Thank you too.
- 60 Minutes Special Interview, Broadcast Date: February 23, 2017