Gifts from Korea, who has been sending them for 50 yrs?

Question

For more than 50 ys I've be recieving packages with things that appear to come from Korea & since they appear to be valuable, I'd like to return them to the proper people before I die. Some objects are 24 ct gold & I recognize them as Korean in design. Sometimes years will pass before a package shows up & recently they have been sent from the US.

I suspect it has something with an old man & a small boy I found on the side of the road (where 2 dirt roads cross) north of Uijongbu, between Yonjuko & Chongo, southwest of moonsanee. Sorry if the names are misspelled, but I never learned to spell Korean & could only converse somewhat. At that time the only paved road was 2 lanes between Uijongbu & Seoul . Anyway I took the kid & old man to their farmhouse & set his broken leg... returned with antibotics 2 days later & found myself treating neighbors & children with diahrea (mixed sugar & salt with water to make a dialectric). I have no medical knowledge, but these people were basically starving, so I asked medical people what to suggest for their symptoms. Other soldiers & I chipped in some excess rations too. Monks from nearby locations had nothing either, but were helpful at identifying needs. Then again, I was not the only soldier involved & I may be making the wrong assumptions. A friend suggests I helped members of an organized crime syndicate... as neither the monks or Korean families would be likely to send valuable gifts.

Answer 1

I was stationed at Uijongbu (Camp Stanley) in 2002-2003 in the Army, so this interests me. If you can give me the names on the packages, maybe I can help you with more information. I have several search tools that I can use to help.

Answer 2

If they are indeed gifts from a crime syndicate would you really want to send them back to them? It would be a huge blow of pride and overall insulting too. "Hey, thanks for all the gifts these past five decades. I don't want any of them" sort of thing. In Japan gift-giving is taken very seriously and Korea might be the same way.

If you feel guilty receiving all these gifts then I suggest finding a place that will accept them and either leave them there or sell them and donate the money to, say, Korea. Unless you have their address you can't really "return to sender" and it would be next-to-impossible to track someone down with so little information.

If you do have their address (or some sort of address) I would get a native Korean to write a letter for you thanking them for all the gifts but requesting no more be sent.

Answer 3

woah!

Answer 4

Ed,

You should go on a grand adventure and solve this mystery. Contact PBS Independent Lens or similar program and get a film crew to go with you! Really. I know this is real having read your comments for over a year.

Perhaps there is even a Korean group that might help you. On the other hand, there is always the chance of disappointment; you have created a scenario in your mind over the years. What if it's completely false? Do you really want the truth? If so, start writing. Some group will be interested in researching your story. Best of luck.