By Considering the recent report that Korea’s elderly are the poorest of all OECD countries, it is good to see USFK soldiers doing their part to aid Korea’s senior citizens:
With winter just around the corner, a group of volunteers decided to make life a little better for a group of elderly Koreans by delivering heating fuel Oct. 27.
Thirty-eight U.S. and Korean Soldiers and Civilians from U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan hand delivered more than 2,000 yeontan briquettes to 10 needy households in the Chungnim neighborhood in the Gwanak District of Seoul.
The group formed a human chain and tossed hundreds the briquettes down the old neighborhood’s narrow alleys.
The residents will use the briquettes like charcoal to heat water pipes in their floors. One briquette will burn for about eight hours, providing economical warmth on a cold winter night. One briquette costs about 400 Korean won, or about 25 cents. Most Korean homes use oil or gas heating systems these days; however, many older homes still use the briquettes.
The volunteers dressed in plastic raincoats and gloves as they spent the afternoon tossing and stacking briquettes. [USFK Press Release]
1:14 pm on November 22nd, 2008 1
I remember very well during the Carter administration, being stationed at Camp Red Cloud with my non-command sponsored Korean wife. We were allowed 'with great fanfare' to buy two 55 gallon drums of heating fuel per month. How we moved it off post was our own problem and I remember very well rolling the drums at least 100 yards to my apartment every month. It took several months for us to discover the landlord was heating his house with our fuel as well. But it was OK, as both my wife and I were kicked out of the apartment because my wife refused to black market. His wife called my wife 'stupid' because she refused. It was one of the most miserable years in my life.
7:27 pm on November 22nd, 2008 2
My compliments to the soldiers involved. One slight flame or problem; they delivered briquettes, not heating oil, as in the title.
Either way, good work!
11:20 pm on November 22nd, 2008 3
Looks like a 2 gallom drum of heating oil to me.
12:22 am on November 23rd, 2008 4
Gerry (#1): What year (era) was that?
When I was stationed at Yongsan, I used to get the heating oil delivered to my apartment back in the late '80s. A fuel truck would roll up and pump the heating oil into my 55 gallon barrels.
I had to transfer the fuel from the barrels to the tank on the heater myself. I had a hand crank style pump for doing that.
By any modern American standard – it was a pain in the ass. But at least I didn't have to transport the barrels by rolling them to my apartment!!
2:02 am on November 23rd, 2008 5
GUITARD, The timeframe was 1979-1980, when Park Chung Hee was assasinated. My apartment was three rooms (kitchen, dining room, bedroom) for $110 per month plus utilities. We had three 60 watt light bulbs in the house and paid $25 a month for utilities. And you may be right about the deliveries as I do remember the hand crank. But the initial purchase of the barrals and how I got them to the apartment was mine.
7:31 am on November 23rd, 2008 6
We refused to black market with our Mercedes-driving Uijeongbu landlord in 2003, despite her mentioning that her previous USFK tenants did it and thereby received a nice kickback on their rent which they were allowed to pocket. So she decided to jack up the rent 20% on us when the lease was to be renewed. We simply moved out instead. I wonder if she's got some USFK tenants right now…hmmm….