Story by Matthew Kim, photograph by Jason Teale

Not far from the railroad tracks that beckon the viewer to “let the train run” lies a similar structure, watching over a river that was once home to a king. The first of Korea, Rhee Seungman’s confident rulership was defined by the oppression out of which his kingdom was born. His subjects remained an integral part of his success. Across the territory, he constructed monuments and statues reflecting the prosperity that he knew would come. Along rivers and valleys, his men built fortresses-- many of which are still in use today. He would come to be known as the first true ruler of a unified Korea and, though his reign was overwhelmed by invaders from the north, his legacy carried on.

Hundreds of years later, a new leader would rise up. He envisioned a renewed Korea without the past belittlement that had plagued his country for so long. He restored the monuments and statues that had been destroyed after decades of foreign occupation. He promised peace and prosperity to the Korean people. Most of all, he offered guidance. But, this guidance was short lived. Soon enough, another wave of backlash and unrest overwhelmed his nation. Forced to step down and leave the political scene, Rhee Seungman decided to complete a bridge that his northern neighbor had started, this time for a less sinister purpose. He hoped it would bring joy to a brother whom he had lost.

On the other side of the line, Kim Il Sung enjoyed the fruits of Rhee’s labor. Though raised from the same ashes as his southern counterpart, Kim was more concerned with securing permanent ties with his closest allies to the northwest. Russia and China continued to supply his regime with steady unilateral trade, and the government that was born out of war prospered for some time. Yet, total reliance on two other nations ultimately resulted in domestic bouts of famine and disease. With his country on the verge of collapsing, Kim sought to reinforce the belief that had sustained his people for ages: the power and strength of the military. He also began work on the bridge to the South, seeking to connect the two countries in case of an invasion. Built of rows upon rows of arches, it symbolizes the cycle of oppression and triumph that has plagued the Korean peninsula for decades. In the end, the bridge and the process of its construction represent the desire for unity, a break in the fighting, and the continuity between what once was and will soon be.