AF 107 KE KOREA JUGA AKHIRNYA

Pembaca yang mengikuti blog aku ini tentu pernah terbaca cerita bagai mana aku menolak tawaran kepimpinan TUDM memilih aku untuk mengikuti kursus staf peringkat tinggi di National Security College, Korea National Defence University (KNDU), Seoul pada bulan April 2013. Sila baca TAJUK AF 059.

Kalau orang lain amat mengharap dengan kursus overseas, apa lagi yang mengambil tempoh melebihi setahun kerana inilah peluang untuk membawa ahli keluarga keluarga negara dengan tanggungan Kerajaan. Apa lagi Korea. Negara yang mempunyai pelbagai kegilaan anak-anak muda dan kaum wanita seperti tarian K Pop, Gangnam dan drama-drama bersiri yang memaku tontonan pelbagai peringkat masyarakat.

Pasti aku mempunyai asas tersendiri untuk menolak tawaran ke kursus yang mengambil masa satu tahun 9 bulan itu. Bacalah Tajuk AF 059 itu. Kuasa dan Ketetapan Allah yang menyebabkan aku menolak tawaran itu. MUNGKIN disebabkan aku menolak tawaran itu, aku terpaksa menanggung akibatnya. KERJAYAku.

Pada pertengahan bulan Jan 17, terdapat tawaran dari Canadian High Commission untuk lima pegawai ATM mengikuti kursus pendek Defense Resource Management Course (DRMC) di KNDU dari 6 hingga 10 Fenb 2017. Tawaran dibuka kepada masing-masing satu calon dari setiap organisasi berikut; MK ATM, MK AB, MK TD, MTL dan MTU. Kursus ini adalah tajaan Kerajaan Kanada di bawah Canadian Department of Military Training and Cooperation (DMTC).

Oleh kerana pihak MK TD, MTL dan MTU menolak tawaran, maka 3 tempat itu ditawarkan kepada MK ATM. Masing-masing satu dari BPP, BLP dan KOMLEK. Boss aku telah mencalonkan nama aku untuk mewakili KOMLEK dan seterusnya disokong oleh KS MK ATM. Alhamdulillah. Bersama aku yang terpilih ialah:

• Kepten Mohd Redzuan bin Hamzah TLDM - BLP
• Lt Kol Norsham bin Md Tap - BPP
• Lt Kol Azizul Rahman bin Ghazali - MK AB
• Mej Mohd Sukri bin Ismail - BOLP.

Kebetulan, calon-calon yang dipilih untuk menggantikan tempat wakil-wakil TD/TL/TU adalah masing-masing seorang dari TDM, TLZDM dan TUDM. Setelah semua keperluan kursus dilaksanakan dan menerima tiket penerbangan (melalui e-mel) kami pun berangkat melalui KLIA untuk menaiki pesawat Korean Airlines KE 762. Pesawat yang dijadualkan berlepas pada jam 2359H telah ditangguhkan ke jam 0019H.

MANUSIA tetap MANUSIA. MUDAH LUPA. Inilah aku, manusia yang pelupa. Punyalah teliti buat persediaan, bila dah selesai check in, dah melepasi imigresen dan pemeriksaan akhir airport (scanning), dah sampai ke bilik pelepasan, tetiba bapak peluh aku terpacul. Allah. KASUT hitam untuk uniform aku tertinggal di rumah!!!!.

Nak balik tak sempat, nak mintak pemandu hantar pun tak sempat, nak suruh anak atau menantu hantar pun tak sempat. 

TALIAN HAYAT. Walaupun waktu itu di Korea sudah hampir jam 0100H, aku hantar watsapp kepada skot Abd Malik (DA di Korea). Mohon bantuan untuk carikan kasut hitam. Tak payah beli, kalau ada sapa2 punya yang terpakai, saiz 8 ok. Itu sahaja harapanku. Mungkin dia tak akan baca mesej itu sampai pagi nanti. Tawakkal kepada Allah.

  

Kami sampai di Incheon International Airport pada hari Ahad jam 050730H Feb 17. Ketibaan kami disambut oleh wakil Canadian Embassy (WO Connie  Muzzel-Willcot), wakil KAF, Capt Jong Lak, Lee dan juga Penasihat Pertahanan Malaysia di MALAWAKIL Seoul, Kol Abd Malik bin Ali. He is my SKOT TJP37. Pertama kali bertemu sejak hampir 4 tahun.

Kami diberikan tiket bas (coach) ke hotel dan kupon tuntutan elaun.

dari kiri, Mej Shukri, Lt Kol Azizul, saya, Kept Ridzuan, Lt Kol Norsham, WO Connie, Kol Malik (DA) dan pegawai Korea.

  

dalam coach dari airport ke hotel

  

Kami ditempatkan di Koreana Hotel, Sejong-daero yang jaraknya lebih kurang satu jam 30 minit dari airport. Kami menaiki bas dari airport ke hotel dan sampai di hotel lebih kurang jam 0930H. Di lobby hotel kami disambut oleh seorang pegawai DMTC, Ms Sylvia Caroll dan kami diberikan satu envelop yang berisi wang tunai bernilai KRW553,000 sebagai elaun makan malam dan perjalanan.

Check-in hanya dibenarkan pada jam 1030H.

First masuk bilik hotel, pastinya menerjah ke tandas dulu. Apa taknya keluar rumah jam 2200 malam semalam. 0730 pagi sampai airport Seoul, terus ke hotel. Kena tunggu pulak sampai 1030 baru masuk bilik. Tentu membayangkan air paip yang sejuk sampai ke tulang punggung. Tapi bila duduk sahaja kat atas mangkuk tandas, secara automatic alas tempat duduk menjadi hangat. Pergh... semuanya auto dan boleh set. Nak basuh, nak drying tinggal tekan button je. Dah pergi ke UK, France, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, USA...inilah pertama kali jumpa. Apa nak buat, hari pertama dah cerita tempat ini. The moral of the story ialah 'hi-tech'.

NDU terletak di Jalan Susaek-dong, daerah Eunpyeong-gu kira-kira 35 minit perjalanan menaiki bas yang disediakan oleh pihak Canadian Embassy.

Kursus hanya dimulakan pada hari Isnin, jadi selepas selesai cx in (bilik aku, Room 1411) kami pakat-pakat untuk mencari masjid dan tempat makanan halal. Setelah mendapat info dari staf hotel, turun semula untuk memulakan rayauan hari pertama di Seoul. Kami mengambil dua buah teksi menuju kawasan Itaewon. Perjalanan mengambil masa 35 minit dan nilai tambang KRW7400. Kami sampai ke Seoul Central Mosque (bersebelahan dengan Prince Sultan Islamic Centre) dan bersolat Jamak Zuhur dan Asar. Selepas bersolat kami mencari kedai makan di kawasan tersebut. Kami makan di Siti Sarah Restaurant.

Walaupun hari sudah melepasi jam 1200H, cuaca memang sejuk, susuh waktu siang adalah antara 1 hingga 11 C. 

di lobby hotel, sebelum memulakan rayapan di hari pertama

  

    

  

  

  

Siti Sarah Restaurant

  

sepinggan nasi dengan ayam panggang tu harganya KRW10000
(yang berdiri tu pemilik kedai dan tukang masaknya)

Sepanjang kursus selama seminggu kami didedahkan dengan perkara berikut berasaskan kepada polisi Kerajaan Canada:

1. Managing Defense Resources:
• Intro to Defence Resource Management
• Intro to Defence Economics
• Defence Budget and Defence Inflation
• Defence Management
• Business Planning
• Investment Planning
• Integrated Risk Management
• Managing Complex Organizations
• Infrastructure Maintenance and Manufacturing
2. Military Personnel and Force Development:
• Strategic Human Resources Management
• Force Development and Capability Based Planning
• Recruiting and Retention
3. Preparing and Employing Military Forces:
• Readiness
• Expeditionary Forces
• Interoperability
• Alliances
4. Defence Procurement:
• Defence Industrial base
• Procurement
• Urgent Operational Requirement Process
• Governance Procurement
• Defence Procurement Capital Expenditure Process
• Political Framework for Defence Procurement

Facilitators:

1. Captain (Navy) Douglas Campbell
2. Colonel (Air Force) Ross Fetterly
3. Lt Col Scott Baker
4. Dr Binyum Solomon

Course Coordinator:

1. Ms Sylvia Corall

 

KNDU diketuai oleh seorang Presiden yang berpangkat Lt Jen. Presiden KNDU masa kini ialah Lt Jen Jang Heung yang mengambil tugas pada 2014.

Korea National Defense University was founded in 1955 as the National War College under the Ministry of National Defense. The objectives were three-fold: First, the i ntegrated operation of national defense covering all the fields of politics, economy, military, and concept, etc. Second, to attain d eep understanding and cooperation between the military and the civilian sector Third, to necessitate integrated operation and cooperation between the army, navy, and air force for national defense . The college moved to its present location in 1956 and started a 5 month pilot course. After the first graduation, the course was expanded to its 10 month regular program.

I n 1961, the college was renamed as the National Defense College (NDC) and the Research Institute on National Security Affairs (RINSA) was opened. In 1980, two major programs, the national defense program and master degree program were opened. The night time master program with 3 majors began in 2002.

N DC and two other neighboring military institutions were merged into the National Defense University in 2000 according to 5 year master plan for national defense reform. KNDU has 4 academic institutions and 2 research institutes: 3 colleges (the national security college, national defense management college, and chief of joint staff college), 1 short-term education institution (duty training center), RINSA for issues on national defense and policies, and joint doctrine center for doctrine study on joint/cooperation operations.

T he purposes of KNDU are as follows: First, to be the best national related university to bring up leaders of the highest level in national aspects . Second, to serve as a terminal education institution to bring up high ranking policy administrators in military aspects as well as function as a think tank for the Ministry of Defense . Finally, to serve as an education and research institution leading the technology/information era and create a peaceful and prosperous era .

Many graduates from the National Security College have held top offices in government: 3 former prime ministers, 80 minister level officials, and 154 at deputy secretary level.

Kampus KNDU di Susaek-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul

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Hari kedua (7 Feb 17) selepas tamat kelas jam 1620 dan bertukar pakaian di hotel, kami di bawa ke pasar yang menjual pelbagai cenderahati dan cenderamata di Isangdong-jil. Suhu malam di Seoul mencapai -14.

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

    

  

Selesai mengabihkan sebahagian dari duit Won di Isangdong-jil, kami di bawa pula ke pusat makanan di Jonggak. Tapi langsung tak nampak kedai makanan halal. Selain itu tak ada tempat menarik untuk disinggahi. Jadi kami berjalan pulang ke hotel yang jaraknya hanya 20 minit perjalanan dari Jonggak. Good exercise. Tapi kulit muka memang terbakar kesejukan dok terjahan angina malam.

Jonggak-ro

Hari ketiga di Seoul (Rabu, 8 Feb 17), kelas macam biasa dari jam 0800H hingga 1620H. 

  

suasana dalam bilik kursus

  

break time

  

Pihak penganjur menyediakan sajian waktu rehat di sebelah bilik kursus. Minuman kopi 3 in 1 dan cookies sahaja.


Manakala lunch disediakan di bangunan cafetaria KNDU. Di sini kami perlu meneliti setiap menu yang disediakan kerana 80% menu yang ada mengandungi pork atau ham. Jadi menu favorit kami adalah seafood dan sayur-sayuran sahaja.

Pihak penganjur juga pantas bertindak balas apabila kami memohon supaya di adakan ruang untuk solat. Hari pertama kami bersolat di bilik rehat sebelah bilik kursus. Hari kedua dan seterusnya mereka mengkhususkan satu bilik berhampiran dengan bilik air untuk dijadikan bilik solat. Mereka juga menyediakan cadar bersih untuk dijadikan tikar.

  

pihak penganjur turut menyediakan bilik rihat minuman dan snack semasa break

  

makan tengahari disediakan di cafe KNDU

Malam itu aku ada buat temujanji dengan skot Malik (DA) untuk makan malam di Itaewon. Kami makan Chukumi (makanan Korea) yang lazat. Selain dari kelazatannya, yang aku appreciate ialah kreativiti penyediaan makanan itu.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Lepas dinner kami minum kopi di sebuah cafe 24 jam di Itaewon dan pulang ke hotel lebih kurang jam 12 malam. Malam itu aku tercicir sarung tangan (glove) di café. Kalau ikut budaya, rasanya bukan orang Korea yang ambil. Kebetulan Itaewon memang tumpuan masyarakat pelancong antarabangsa.

  
  

Hari Keempat, Khamis 9 Feb 17. kelas seperti biasa, cuma hari ini ada sedikit cock up. Semasa bertolak dari hotel menaiki bas, tanpa disedari salah seorang peserta ATM tertinggal bas. Walaupun head counting dibuat oleh pegawai Korea, ia tidak disedari. Bila kami sampai bilik kursus baru sedar, rakan kami tertinggal. 

Terpaksalah kawan tu datang kelas naik teksi, dan kena KRW15,000.

Selepas tamat kelas pada jam 1600, petang itu kami ada resepsi (dinner) di Canadian Embassy.

    

  

  

  

  

Sepulangnya dari dinner di Embassy, kami keluar ke bandar Seoul dengan pembantu DA, PO Sharizam untuk melawat Namsan Tower atau Seoul Tower. Dikuti oleh minum kopi di Itaewon (tempat semalam).

  

    

  

  

  

  

  

    

  

Hari kelima di DRMC, 10 Feb 17. Kelas tamat pada jam 1130. Majlis graduasi pada jam 1200H. Hari terakhir masih ada tiga syarahan dan tamat pada jam 1120H. Penyampaian sijil dilakukan oleh Professor (Pengarah Pengajian Strategic) KNDU bersama ketua delegasi DMTC, Canada, Col Dr Ross Fetterly.

  
Kept Ridzuan menerima sijil kehadiran

  
Lt Kol Norsham Md tap

  
giliran aku menerima sijil

  

  

  

  

  

Jam 1440 bertolak ke DMZ, satu lawatan yang tidak dijadualkan dalam kursus ini. Ini merupakan satu peluang menimba ilmu dan pengalaman yang di luar jangka dan amat ternilai harganya. 

The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is a highly militarized strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula. It was established at the end of the Korean War to serve as a buffer zone between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). The DMZ is a de facto border barrier that divides the Korean Peninsula roughly in half. It was created by agreement between North Korea, China and the United Nations in 1953. The DMZ is 250 kilometres (160 miles) long, and about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) wide.

Within the DMZ is a meeting-point between the two nations in the small Joint Security Area near the western end of the zone, where negotiations take place. There have been various incidents in and around the DMZ, with military and civilian casualties on both sides. Several tunnels are claimed to have been built as an invasion route for the North Koreans.

The Korean Demilitarized Zone crosses the 38th parallel north on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and the east end lying north of it.

The DMZ is 250 kilometres (160 miles) long, approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) wide. Though the zone separating both sides is demilitarized, beyond that strip the border is one of the most heavily militarized borders in the world. The Northern Limit Line, or NLL, is the disputed maritime demarcation line between North and South Korea in the Yellow Sea, not agreed in the armistice. The coastline and islands on both sides of the NLL are also heavily militarized.

The 38th parallel north—which divides the Korean Peninsula roughly in half—was the original boundary between the United States and Soviet Union's brief administration areas of Korea at the end of World War II. Upon the creation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, informally North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (ROK, informally South Korea) in 1948, it became a de facto international border and one of the most tense fronts in the Cold War.

Both the North and the South remained dependent on their sponsor states from 1948 to the outbreak of the Korean War. That conflict, which claimed over three million lives and divided the Korean Peninsula along ideological lines, commenced on 25 June 1950, with a full-front DPRK invasion across the 38th parallel, and ended in 1953 after international intervention pushed the front of the war back to near the 38th parallel.

In the Armistice Agreement of 27 July 1953, the DMZ was created as each side agreed to move their troops back 2,000 m (2,200 yards) from the front line, creating a buffer zone 4 km (2.5 mi) wide. The Military Demarcation Line (MDL) goes through the center of the DMZ and indicates where the front was when the agreement was signed.

Owing to this theoretical stalemate, and genuine hostility between the North and the South, large numbers of troops are still stationed along both sides of the line, each side guarding against potential aggression from the other side. The armistice agreement explains exactly how many military personnel and what kind of weapons are allowed in the DMZ. Soldiers from both sides may patrol inside the DMZ, but they may not cross the MDL; ROK soldiers, however heavily armed, patrol under the aegis of military police, and have memorized each line of the armistice.[4] Sporadic outbreaks of violence have killed over 500 South Korean soldiers, 50 US soldiers and 250 soldiers from DPRK along the DMZ between 1953 and 1999.

Daeseong-dong (also written Tae Sung Dong) and Kijŏng-dong are the only settlements allowed by the armistice committee to remain within the boundaries of the DMZ. Residents of Tae Sung Dong are governed and protected by the United Nations Command and are generally required to spend at least 240 nights per year in the village to maintain their residency. In 2008, the village had a population of 218 people. The villagers of Tae Sung Dong are direct descendants of people who owned the land before the 1950–53 Korean War.

To continue to deter North Korean incursion, in 2014 the United States government exempted the Korean DMZ from its pledge to eliminate anti-personnel landmines.

Joint Security Area

Inside the DMZ, near the western coast of the peninsula, Panmunjom is the home of the Joint Security Area (JSA). Originally, it was the only connection between North and South Korea[9] but that changed in 2007 when a Korail train went through the DMZ to the North on the new Donghae Bukbu Line built on the east coast of Korea.

There are several buildings on both the north and the south side of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), and there have been some built on top of it. The JSA is the location where all negotiations since 1953 have been held, including statements of Korean solidarity, which have generally amounted to little except a slight decline of tensions. The MDL goes through the conference rooms and down the middle of the conference tables where the North Koreans and the United Nations Command (primarily South Koreans and Americans) meet face to face.

Within the JSA are a number of buildings for joint meetings called Conference Row. These are used for direct talks between the Korean War participants and parties to the armistice. Facing the Conference Row buildings are the North Korean Panmungak (English: Panmun Hall) and the South Korean Freedom House. In 1994, North Korea enlarged Panmungak by adding a third floor. In 1998, South Korea built a new Freedom House for its Red Cross staff and to possibly host reunions of families separated by the Korean War. The new building incorporated the old Freedom House Pagoda within its design.

Since 1953 there have been occasional confrontations and skirmishes within the JSA. The Axe murder incident in August 1976 involved the attempted trimming of a tree which resulted in two deaths (Captain Arthur Bonifas and First Lieutenant Mark Barrett). Another incident occurred on 23 November 1984, when a Soviet tourist Vasily Matuzok (sometimes spelled Matusak), who was part of an official trip to the JSA (hosted by the North), ran across the MDL shouting that he wanted to defect. North Korean troops immediately chased after him opening fire. Border guards on the South Korean side returned fire eventually surrounding the North Koreans as they pursued Matusak. One South Korean and three North Korean soldiers were killed in the action, and Matusak was not captured.

In late 2009, South Korean forces in conjunction with the United Nations Command began renovation of its three guard posts and two checkpoint buildings within the JSA compound. Construction was designed to enlarge and modernize the structures. Work was undertaken a year after North Korea finished replacing four JSA guard posts on its side of the MDL.

DMZ-related incidents and incursions

Since demarcation, the DMZ has had numerous cases of incidents and incursions by the North Koreans, although the North Korean government never acknowledges direct responsibility for any of these incidents. This was particularly intense during the Korean DMZ Conflict (1966–1969) when a series of skirmishes along the DMZ resulted in the deaths of 43 American, 299 South Korean and 397 North Korean soldiers. This included the Blue House Raid in 1968, an attempt to assassinate President Park Chung Hee at the Blue House.

In 1976, in now declassified meeting minutes, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense William Clements told Henry Kissinger that there had been 200 raids or incursions into North Korea from the south, though not by the U.S. military. Details of only a few of these incursions have become public, including raids by South Korean forces in 1967 that had sabotaged about 50 North Korean facilities.

Operation Paul Bunyan, to remove a tree in front of the Bridge of No Return, takes place following the axe murder incident in August 1976.

Incursion Tunnels

Since 15 November 1974, the South has discovered that four tunnels crossing the DMZ had been dug by North Korea. This is indicated by the orientation of the blasting lines within each tunnel. Upon their discovery, North Korea claimed that the tunnels were for coal mining; however, no coal has been found in the tunnels, which are dug through granite. Some of the tunnel walls have been painted black to give the appearance of anthracite.

The tunnels are believed to have been planned as a military invasion route by North Korea. The tunnels run in a north-south direction and do not have branches. Following each discovery, engineering within the tunnels has become progressively more advanced. For example, the third tunnel sloped slightly upwards as it progressed southward, to prevent water stagnation. Today, visitors from the south may visit the second, third and fourth tunnels through guided tours.

Checkpoint tentera ROK dipandang dari DPRK

First Tunnel

The first of the tunnels was discovered on 20 November 1974, by a South Korean Army patrol, noticing steam rising from the ground. The initial discovery was met with automatic fire from North Korean soldiers. Five days later, during a subsequent exploration of this tunnel, US Navy Commander Robert M. Ballinger and ROK Marine Corps Major Kim Hah Chul were killed in the tunnel by a North Korean explosive device. The blast also wounded five Americans and one South Korean from the United Nations Command.

The tunnel, which was about 0.9 by 1.2 m (3 by 4 ft), extended more than 1 km (0.62 mi) beyond the MDL into South Korea. The tunnel was reinforced with concrete slabs and had electric power and lighting. There were weapon storage and sleeping areas. A narrow gauge railway with carts had also been installed. Estimates based on the tunnel's size suggest it would have allowed approximately 20,000 soldiers to pass through it per hour.

Second Tunnel

The second tunnel was discovered on 19 March 1975. It is of similar length to the first tunnel. It is located between 50 and 160 m (160 and 520 ft) below ground, but is larger than the first, approximately 2 by 2 m (7 by 7 feet).

Third Tunnel

The third tunnel was discovered on 17 October 1978. Unlike the previous two, the third tunnel was discovered following a tip from a North Korean defector. This tunnel is about 1,600 m (5,200 ft) long and about 73 m (240 ft) below ground. Foreign visitors touring the South Korean DMZ may view inside this tunnel using a sloped access shaft.

Fourth Tunnel

A fourth tunnel was discovered on 3 March 1990, north of Haean town in the former Punchbowl battlefield. The tunnel's dimensions are 2 by 2 m (7 by 7 feet), and it is 145 metres (476 ft) deep. The method of construction is almost identical in structure to the second and the third tunnels.

Source: Wikipedia.org

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

    

Kami turut di bawa masuk ke dalam terowong ke 3. Semasa masuk, kami terpaksa berjalan laju menuruni kecuramannya hingga ke tahap 265 meter.  Kemudian melalui fasa kedua sejauh 150 meter yang lebih mendatar tetapi agak sempit dan jalan menundukkan kepala kerana sebahagian besar hanya mempunyai ketinggian 5.5 kaki sahaja. Kalau leka, topi keselamatan akan terhantuk ke batu keras. Kami dapat sampai hingga ke jarak terhujung yang dibenarkan untuk pelancong.

Perjalanan balik sungguh memenatkan. Bukan sahaja terpaksa membongkok dalam kepenatan tetapi melalui fasa satu tadi yang kini terpaksa mendaki sejauh 265 meter. Setengah nyawa juga kami rasakan. Selain dari keletihan, kedalaman terowong menyebabkan kekurangan oksigen.

Itulah pengalaman berharga buat aku. Malangnya kami tidak dibenarkan membawa kamera atau mobile phone untuk mengambil gambar.

  

  

Malam terakhir di Seoul, kami dijamu oleh DA, skot kol Abd Malik untuk makan malam. Oleh kerana beliau akan pulang ke Malaysia bulan Mac, maka rumah beliau telah dikemas dan semua barangan telah dimasukkan dalam kotak. Beliau tidak dapat menggunakan rumah beliau untuk menerima tetamu. Makan malam dibuat dirumah staf beliau, PO Shahrizam Iisterinya Cikgu Azura) yang tinggal di quarters staf Kedutaan Besar Seoul.

  

  

Majlis dimulakan dengan doa selamat. Kami dijamu makan Nasi Ayam, kueh mueh/buah-buahan dan air susu pisang. Malangnya semua lupa untuk mengambil gambar semasa makan.

11hb Feb 17 adalah hari terakhir kami di Seoul. Pagi jam 0730 kami ke Nam-daemon Market untuk menghabiskan baki wang KRW yang ada.

  

  

Kami check out dari hotel pada jam 1130H dan mengambil bas ke airport pada jam 1215H. Kami dinasihatkan supa keluar dari bandaraya Seoul sebelum jam 1300H kerana selepas waktu makan tengahari sehingga malam, kawasan berhampiran hotel kami akan dipenuhi (sesak) dengan orang ramai yang akan berdemonstrasi (setiap hari Sabtu) untuk mendesak Presiden Korea supaya meletak jawatan.

Perjalanan dari hotel ke lapangan terbang Incheon berjalan lancar begitu juga dengan proses check in. Kol Malik dan isteri turut menghantar kami ke airport.

Kol Malik belanja minum di cafe sementara menunggu flight

Pelajaran dari Korea:

Pelajaran utama yang baik untuk diikuti oleh MALAYSIA adalah kaedah membuat U-Turn di persimpangan jalan berlampu (isyarat). Kenderaan boleh membuat U-Turn sebelum, lampu trafik. Semasa lampu untuk kenderaan dari arah hadapan sedang merah, kenderaan boleh buat u-turn tanpa menunggu lampu hijau. Ini kerana lampu hijau sepatutnya untuk kenderaan yang mahu terus ke hadapan atau mahu belok ke kanan.

Lain-lain perkara positif yang saya perhatikan ialah:

POSITIF

• Kebersihan bandar dan persekitaran melambangkan ketamaddunan Bangsa Korea. 
• Walaupun tidak memahami bahasa Melayu atau Inggeris, rakyat Korea amat bersopan santun melayani orang luar. Kecuali dalam keadaan tertentu.
• Korea (khususnya Seoul) adalah negara yang selamat dari jenayah. Ini juga melambangkan ketamaddunan bangsa mereka. Rakyat Korea berintegriti tinggi. 
• Pada keseluruhannya semua yang kita kenali dan terlibat dalam program ini menunjukkan sikap menepati masa. Termasuk juga perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam. Shuttle bus ke airport akan sampai tepat pada masa yang ditetapkan.
• Orang Korea amat cepat memberi response ke atas aduan dan teguran.

Tabiat orang Korea ialah membawa berus gigi ke mana-mana sahaja mereka pergi. Mereka akan menggosok gigi setiap kali lepas makan. Apabila aku bertanya kepada orang Malaysia yang telah lama duduk di sana, katanya, tabiat ini disebabkan kos rawatan gigi (dan juga kos perubatan lain) di Korea sangat mahal. Maka mereka amat menjaga gigi mereka dari rosak bagi mengelakkan kos rawatan sakit gigi.

Satu sahaja perkara yang tidak menyenangkan kami, tapi bukan satu yang negatif, mungkin itu budaya bagi mengelakkan salahguna. Pemilik kedai (khususnya cenderamata) tidak mengizinkan kita berdiri di kawasan kedai jika tidak berhasrat untuk membeli. Tapi ini mungkin di Nam-daemon sahaja. Di Insangdo tidak begitu.

Terima kasih kepada AKS KOMLEK (Laksda Dato Aris) yang telah mencalonkan nama aku untuk kursus ini dan KS MK ATM (Dato Sri Sabri TUDM) yang meluluskan pencalonan. 
Terima kasih Kerajaan Canada (DMTC) yang menaja dan membiayai 100% kursus ini. Terima kasih KNDU yang menjadi hos kursus.
Terima kasih Kol Abd Malik (DA) dan isteri, PO Sharizam dan isteri. 
Dan pastinya penghargaan yang tidak terhingga kepada coursemates; Kept Ridzuan, Lt Kol Norsham, Lt Kol Azizul Rahman dan Mej Shukri. Jika ada terlebih gurau dan terguna wang elaun semasa transaksi sepanjang kita di Seoul, mohon maaf zahir dan batin.