Dr John Cornes - Korea in the Mid-Fifties

 

Dr John Cornes

Dr John Cornes was given enthusiastic and well-merited applause from an audience of all ages for his illustrated talk in the Global Korea lecture series at the Korean Cultural Centre on 12 April 2011, organized in cooperation with the AKS.

In 1954 Dr Cornes, a young British doctor, and his wife Jean, a nurse and midwife, arrived to work with the UN Korean Reconstruction Agency in Kunsan, Chollabuk-do. Dr Cornes' talk about his experiences at that time was based on his unique collection of 35mm colour slides, showing the work at the hospital in Kunsan and his travels both locally and to the nearby islands. The quality of the slides was excellent with the colour as good as ever - for some of the younger attendees this was a unique experience as they had never seen slides projected before. We saw slides of their hospital work, the conditions in which they worked, and their patients, colleagues and friends. ‘Off duty’ shots of thatched houses, the rural countryside, children at play, markets and street traders, kimchi making, sponge divers, high days and holidays, temples and trains, Syngman Rhee and even civil unrest were all fascinating glimpses for those who only know Korea half a century later.

Dr Cornes spoke with enthusiasm and passion for Korea and the Korean people, both of which had obviously made a lasting impact on him during his time spent there over 50 years ago. He made light of the work that he and his wife did, and the difficulties they faced, but they obviously achieved a tremendous amount in terms both of care for the sick orphans and refugees and of training local nurses. He spoke from his heart, connected immediately with his audience, and we noted one or two quietly wiping their eyes for the Korea of their childhood, or the Korea they had heard about but never known.

We are extremely grateful to the KCC for organising this event, for their cooperation, and for their excellent hospitality. We are also very grateful to Mrs Norma Broadbridge, Dr Cornes’s sister, for telling us about this collection in the first place. A most worthwhile lead!

Jim Thomson

A flavour of Dr Cornes' slides © Dr Cornes and the KCCUK