In May 2000, I left Hill Air Force Base in Utah to begin a year-long assignment in the Republic of Korea at Osan Air Base. My job, running an electronics repair workcenter and later as a ramp-chief for U.S. Air Force U-2S high altitude reconnaissance aircraft, kept me very busy and what spare time I had was usually spent participating in the very active social life that springs up whenever you take a whole lot people away from their families and stick them in the middle of an alien culture.

My travels were limited to the amazing city of Seoul and a tour of the Korean National Folk Village in Suwon. I didn't take as many photos as I should have. If I had, there would have been more subjects to choose from for this gallery. As it is, I do have more photos, but they are mostly of the friends I made and of a legend we built in a weekend - but that's for another gallery.

Korea is a beautiful country and I found Koreans to be pretty much like everyone else I've met in my travels: friendly, polite, and curious about the stranger in their country. I hope I left them with a good impression.

Jim Coulter
December 2004