Lesson 51

Every so often on the 15th of the month at 2:00PM the ROK Air Base sounds an alarm and everything stops for fifteen minutes.

I was sitting at my desk in my classroom during Tonya's IKP class. 2:00 rolls around and this loud siren goes off. I look up from my computer and see that Tonya has the same quizzical expression on her face. We go to the window - traffic has stopped completely.

Just as Tonya and I voice our confusion, Tara pokes her head into the classroom and says, "In case you're wondering, North Korea has not invaded. It's just a drill for the ROK air base in case there is an attack."

The siren continues until 2:05, then stops. I notice a man in uniform standing in the middle of the big intersection holding out a huge flag to signal traffic to stop. The cars remain at a stand-still until he put his flag away and waved traffic to resume at 2:15. Not only was it one of the stranger things I've seen here, it was also the quietest Suwon has ever been during the day.