1950 Through My Eyes: The Korean War and Amorepacific Corp.

Eungzou Byun

Jongho Byun

About this ebook

This book is a vivid record by author Eungzou Byun, who lived through the heart of the Korean War. It contains his experiences as a soldier on the bullet-swept front lines, as well as his journey as a devoted family man who, even amidst the horrors of war, worked to lay the foundation of what would become Amorepacific. Moving between the battlefront and the realm of business, this story is both a personal account of survival and the history of a company’s beginnings.

In 1985, based on the Petition for the Restoration of Service Records submitted by the veterans of the 5816 Partisan Unit, the author compiled and reconstructed a wealth of historical materials. The book vividly recounts the nineteen daring operations to recapture Kaesong and the fierce battles fought by the 5816 Partisan Unit, which was founded in Ganghwa. This unit was later incorporated into the U.S. 8086th Unit, which was reorganized as the 1st Wolfpack Unit under the U.S. Far East Command’s 8240th Unit in Korea. It also became known as the “KLO Unit.”

However, this is not merely a war memoir. It offers today’s readers—living in an age swept by nationalism and a new Cold War—a fresh perspective on global affairs. The memories of war are not confined to the past; they are the key to understanding the present and preparing for the future.

About the author

Author: Eungzou Byun participated in the Korean War in 1950 as a signalman with the 5816th Guerrilla Unit. The 5816th Guerrilla Unit was a guerrilla unit based on Ganghwa Island, gathering accurate intelligence from the Yonbaek area in Hwanghae Province, and the Kaesong and Kaepung areas in Gyeonggi Province. The unit was incorporated into the US Army's 8086th Unit, reorganized into the 8240th and 8250th Units, and incorporated into the South Korean Army. It is also known as the KLO Intelligence Unit. Before liberation, he worked with Seonghwan Suh, founder of Amorepacific Corporation, to lay the foundation for the company.

Editor: Minho Joe Byun graduated from Emory University, studied at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School, and is currently attending Vanderbilt Law School. He has authored numerous papers in the humanities and social sciences, including "Predicting Gastrointestinal Disease in the United States: Water."

Editor: Keunho Daniel Byun graduated from Emory University with a degree in business administration and earned an MSBA from Emory University's Graduate School of Business. His book is "Climate Change." He works as an equity research analyst at Bank of America.

Editor: Woonjoo Jeannie Byun received her master's degree from the State University of New York and her bachelor's and master's degrees from Chung-Ang University. She worked at CITI Bank in Seoul and Trans Freight Inc. in the U.S.

Editor: Jongho Byun, Ph. D., has been a professor at the State University of New York since September 2011.