Those who wait, those who never came back (2)
Son Jin-tae
P.3, Chosun Daily, Jul. 8, 1964


○ Son Jin-tae, National History Scholar– Son was an expert in folklore, especially shamanism. He was also an outstanding teacher. He was born in Gupo, South Gyeongsang Province, where his ancestors had lived as traders for generations. His family lived comfortably when he was young, but as he grew oldertheir luck started to run out. When he graduated from Jungang Middle School, he had to sell groceries in Pyongyang to pay his tuition. His wife, Mrs. Son, expressed her love for her husband, saying, "I think he was a smart student. I saw his report card from his middle school years, and he got all A's."

○ He started teaching at the age of 34. Except forthe time he served as First Vice-Minister of Education, he taught until the day he was abducted. Son only thought about learning and education. He was abducted because of his responsibilities as a teacher. When the Korean War broke out and people in Seoul were all fleeing south, Son was the Dean of Seoul National University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He lost the chance to cross the Han River because he was distributing 4 months’ salary to his workers.

○ Son was hiding in the rocky peaks of Samgak Mountain when he was abducted. Mrs. Son did not know that he had been abducted at first. Her daily struggle to survive was filled with hardships and tears. In the corner of a makeshift school building at Gyeonggi Women's High School, she opened a small stationary store with only a dozen pencils and a few notebooks.

That store has now grown to become Gyeong-gi Stationary Store on Sinmun-no in Seoul. She still thinks it was a miracle that she put her son and six daughters through college and high school by selling pencils and notebooks. She smiled and said that, when Son returns, she will proudly say she has raised her children well. Son would now be 65 years old. He has overcome the hardship of 14 years ago, but Mrs. Son worries about his health. She was in tears hoping for her husband's good health and missing him dearly. Son Dae-yeon (32), her only son, graduated from Seoul National University, College of Liberal Arts and Science, majoring in Political Science, and is now working at a bank. Her four daughters have graduated from her alma mater, Ewha Woman's University, and her youngest daughterIm-hye is a senior at Gyeong-gi Women's High School. They are all the fruits of Mrs. Son's hard work and determination.

○ Mrs. Son wants nothing more than to see her husband again. It is what has given her the strength to live each day.