[Insight & Opinion] A Society Where We Can Call Life a Beautiful Picnic

Military Tensions Rise on the Korean Peninsula Amid Middle East Conflict

War Strips Away the Ordinary Moments of Daily Life

Preserving Peace: The Most Practical Responsibility and Promise

The poem "Return to Heaven" by poet Cheon Sang-byeong compares life to a "beautiful picnic," and serenely accepts even death.

"I will return to heaven / On the day this beautiful picnic of life ends / I will go and say, it was beautiful." This verse expresses gratitude for life and a peaceful farewell. The reason this work remains moving across eras seems to be the final belief that, at the end, we can say that our ordinary days were, after all, beautiful.

However, in a society where the fear of war has become everyday reality, even words like these become a luxury. Recently, with conflicts in the Middle East and renewed military tensions surrounding the Korean Peninsula, anxiety is rising again. Of course, for many, war still feels distant. For some, war in the Middle East is a matter of survival, but for us, it may reach us simply as news of stock market fluctuations. Yet, if it became reality that we could die at any moment, could we truly say, like Cheon Sang-byeong, that life was a beautiful picnic?

War does not only mean records of grand battles. More often, it is the process of taking away the most ordinary things. A warm cup of coffee in the morning, sunsets seen on the way home, or dew on the grass after rain—these moments, so common we barely noticed their value, become the greatest luxuries in wartime. Stories from the Russia-Ukraine war or conflict zones in the Middle East show that people speak more about the disappearance of ordinary life than about grand political causes. The greatest tragedy of war is not being able to laugh with friends, share dinner with family, or make plans for tomorrow without worry.

In addition, another source of tension our society faces comes from conflicts rooted in economic inequality. Widening gaps between rich and poor deepen generational frustration and increase the distance between those with stable jobs and assets and those without. For some, ordinary life is a given, but for others, it becomes an unattainable dream. As the gap grows between those who can enjoy life’s small comforts and those who must worry about daily survival, social anxiety inevitably increases.

Despite these conflicts and disparities, our society has achieved today’s stable institutions and democracy through past sacrifices and social struggles. Yet as time passes, such processes are forgotten, and voices of discord and division grow louder. Just as Cheon Sang-byeong spoke of the beauty of life even amid the pain of the times, the ordinary days we enjoy are by no means guaranteed. Even the trivial comfort of ending a busy day with a glass of Makgeolli may rest upon hard-won social legacies.

A society without war does not simply mean the absence of gunfire. It is a society where people can make plans for tomorrow, have the leisure to admire the sunset, and feel safe enough to reflect on life with gratitude. At the same time, it is a society where at least a basic level of security is guaranteed, so that everyone can feel the dignity of their own life.

If someone, even facing death, cannot say their life was beautiful, perhaps it is not their personal failure but society’s. In this sense, preserving peace is not just a matter of diplomacy or military strategy; it is the minimum social promise that allows people to look back on their lives without regret in their final moments. Someday, may we all be able to say, like Cheon Sang-byeong, those words at the end of life. And to ensure a time never comes when such words cannot be spoken—that is the most realistic responsibility for those of us living now.

Professor Kyu Il Kim, Michigan State University, USA

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.