Into the Light The Mission of Okhwan Yoon
남북 통일 세계 평화
Into the Light The Mission of Okhwan Yoon
Okhwan wishes to acknowledge the help and support given to him by many people throughout his journey.
Compiled by Sarah Marshall
Who is Okhwan Yoon? Okhwan Yoon is a Korean man who has cycled through 192 countries since 2001. The motivation behind his journey stems from his desire for a unified Korea. Okhwan received his first bike when he was six years old and started to cycle around the rooms of his family home. His mother raised him to be independent and to express his convictions. In his teenage years, after coming back from school, he would ride around the villages near Seoul until it got dark. He wondered who lived behind the mountains and what it looked like there. From this, his cycling territory became the whole world. 1984, Okhwan was arrested while demonstrating against South Korea's military regime and was tortured by police forces. He chose to study law, graduated university in 1987 and in 1991 started a trading company. In 2001 he left Korea, abandoned his suit and tie for cycling gear, gave up the search for family life and quit his career as a successful businessman to experience the world. He has survived car crashes, malaria, kidnapping and he almost lost his life from extreme heat and cold. All this to support his quest for a more peaceful world.
Okhwan’s Dream "I have a dream that one day there will be a united Korea and a united world. North and South Korea represent the last country that is divided by ideology. When Korea is finally reunited it will be a great step towards world peace. I'm convinced that the meaning of the world peace is to understand and respect each others’ ideology, culture, religion, language, and identity. Understanding one another forms a deep connection from heart to heart, society to society, and border to border. I wish to witness a united Korean peninsula in my lifetime with all my dear friends throughout the world. With strong support my dream of uniting Korea can come true. We have faced great challenges this generation but it is our duty to help raise our children in a more peaceful world. Face to face, hand to hand, shoulder to shoulder, side by side we can defeat this hatred and make our only world beautiful." -Okhwan Yoon
“This is one movement of a tiny person who is living in this tiny planet.� -Okhwan Yoon
a Kore h t u So
China
Russia
South Korea
China
Northern Ethiopia, 2005
Vietnam
Laos
Thailand
ia Cambod
Republic of Djibouti, 2005
Malaysia
Singapore
Bangladesh
India
Myanmar, 2006
Pakistan
Iran
Tu rke y Bu lga ria Greece
Italy
Tunisia
Alge ria Sp ain Fr an ce
Seychelles, 2007
“This is one of my obligations to dedicate myself to unify Korea.” -Okhwan Yoon
co na Mo Ita ly
Switzer land
Liec
in ste n hte
Argentina, 2007
ny Germa ia str u A
la Po Czech Republ ic
“We must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.� -Martin Luther King, Jr.
nd
Estonia a tvi a L
ia an u h Li t
Uruguay, 2007
Finland
S we d en
Norway
Denm ark Ge rm an y
s nd rla the Ne
Fifth car accident, Brazil, 2007
“I have been struck by cars five times. Six times surgery.” -Okhwan Yoon
L ux em bou rg
Be lgiu m
France
England
Indonesia, 2007
nd Zeala w e N
da Cana Scotland
Irelan
d
South Sudan, 2007
Au
st l ia ra
Ja pa n Sou
th Ko rea
Uzbekistan
Srilanka, 2007
“The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.� -William James
ia Georg
n enista Turkm
n baija Azer
Ukra ine
Philippines, 2007
Moldova
Romania
Serbia
Herczeg Bosnia-
South Coast, Korea, 2007
Croatia
Slovenia
Italy Sw itze rlan d
France
“I was born in South Korea, but North Korea is also my country. This is a global issue.”
W
-Okhwan Yoon
o occ Mor in Spa
Portugal
ra aha S rn te s e
Ecuador, 2008
M
au rita nia
“There never was a good war or bad peace.� -Benjamin Franklin
Sen egal
Gu Gambia
i ne
au s s Bi a-
Gu ine a
Si
ne Leo a err
Liberia
Guine a
“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.� -John Lennon
Ecuador, 2008
Ma li
na Gha
B u rk i n a F as o
t Co
Togo
ire ’Ivo d e
“During my travels I constantly wondered why we are so uncivilized and unenlightened. I encountered so much torture, starvation and genocide, but it strengthened me. If there is no sunshine we will all freeze. We are all passengers on a tiny planet, this station we call planet earth. Life is short and we stay here for a brief time, but we must all live together in peace despite our differences.� -Okhwan Yoon
Benin
Nige ria
Ca me roo n
Cen tral A frican Republ ic
Caracas, Venezuela, 2008
on Camero
a ial Guine Equator
Gabon
Slovakian students. Bratislava, Slovakia, 2011
Republ ic of the Con go
Democ ratic Republ ic of the Congo
Peru, 2008
la Ango
ia Namib
Botswana
ica Afr uth So
“Many people in the world look like grains of sand on the beach or stars in the sky. I have seen all different colors of night sky.� -Okhwan Yoon t so Le
ho
Sw az ilan d Zimb abwe
ue Mozambiq
Colombia, 2008
wi Mala
Tanzania
Burundi
Rwanda
Ugand a
Mexico, 2008
Sou th S uda n Keny a
Ethiopia
ti Djibou
al ia m o S
Jordan
Israe l
Sy ria
Djibo uti
Erit rea
t yp Eg
“For it isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it, one must work for it.� -Eleanor Roosevelt
Bolivia, 2008
“Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one.� Le b
-John Lennon
an o S yr
ia
Kuwait
Bahrain
Qatar
UAE
“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.� -Jimi Hendrix
Bolivia, 2008
Oman
Yem en Oma n
UAE
Iran
Nepal, 2010
ik i s Taj Af
n ista n a gh
tan
n ista k e Uzb
yzstan Kyrg
Kazakhstan
Nepal, 2010
China
Mo ngo
l ia Chin a
South Korea
Taiwan
Slovakia, 2011
s Phil ippine
Palau
s Malay
ia
esia Indon
Timu East
r
“One early morning I am sitting at Cyprus airport and a thought runs through my head–“ I established the production company ‘Filmpark’ in order to tell stories that would inspire people. After 11 years, the time has come to live my dream. I am falling asleep. When I open my eyes I don’t know how much time has passed, and an Asian guy is looking straight into my face and asking me to take a picture of him standing in front of a sign reading Cyprus on it for his friends abroad. He begins telling me his story. His name: Okhwan Yoon. I am wide awake and my dream just started." -Marek Mackovic director/producer of upcoming documentary, ‘Okhwan’
Papua New Guinea
Solo mon Islan ds
Vanu atu
Nauru
The Bourriennes met Okhwan in 1995 when Yvon was working on the construction of the high speed railway from Seoul to Pussan. Neither was speaking the other's language. Okhwan's lost dog brought them together. They formed a friendship and started teaching each other their language. In 1998 Yvon's office was moved, but Okhwan came by bike to visit. In November of 1999 Yvon left Korea and occasionally had emails from Okhwan. In July of 2009 they were reunited in France. Okhwan stayed with the Bourriennes for 3 weeks. Then in 2011 Okhwan visited with them three times as he traveled between Italy and England. For some of that time he was training for a marathon and would run over to Aubenas to pick up a loaf of bread. It was a route of about 20 kilometers. When he stayed with the Bourriennes, Okhwan always slept on the sofa because he rarely had a bed on his travels. In November he left for New York, via London.
Marshall Islands
Kiribati
Fiji
a Tong
oa S am
nd eala Z New
Aubenas, France, 2011
Chile
Argentina
Uru gua y
Bra z il Ma da ga
sca r
London, 2011
Comoros
Seychelles
Maurit ius
Madagascar
Brazil
London, 2011
guay Para
Bol ivia
Peru
Ecuador
Colombia
Venezuela
London, 2011
Panama
Jamaica
Trinidad & Toba go
Guyana
Surinam
“I feel very depressed whenever I think about the Korean peninsula because we Koreans have been divided for over 60 years.� -Okhwan Yoon
am r in u S iana French Gu
Guyana
Trinida d& Tob ago
Gre nada
Crossroads to Macedonia and Athens, 2011
ent St. Vinc
a Barb
dos
ucia St. L
inica m o D
ua Antig
St. Kitts
Qatar, 2011
Ne vis
Dominic an Re publ ic
Haiti
Cuba
Panama
Abu Dhabi, 2011
a Cost
Rica
ragua Nica
Honduras
El Salvad or
Guate mala
Okhwan with Dušan Milko, Marek Mackovic and Martin Štrba. Rome, Italy, 2011
“Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy.” -Thomas Jefferson
Bel i ze
Mexico
USA (Texas -Cal ifor
nia)
Me xi
co
US A (T exas -Florida)
New York City, 2011
as Baham
d ana C C) nD o t g shin a W idaFlor ( A US
a
in Spa
orra And
SantaCon. New York City, 2011
Fran ce Swi tzer lan d
Aus tria
Slov akia
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2011
“It has been the ultimate goal and longing dream for every Korean to have one united Korea. There are so many beliefs and hopes that the glorious moment of celebrating one Korea will come. We are ready to sing altogether ”Ode to Joy” on that moment to commemorate world peace. Okhwan has been leading us one step closer to that dream and moment for all of us.” -Korean friends in Pittsburgh
via Lat Poland
Belarus
ania Lithu
Blairsville, Pennsylvania, 2011
“A house divided against itself cannot stand.� -Abraham Lincoln
Est oni a
Finland
Sweden
Norway
nd Icela
“One little person giving all her time to peace, can make news. Many people, giving some of their time, can make history.� -Peace Pilgrim
(peace activist Mildred Norman Ryder)
Blairsville, Pennsylvania, 2011
Norway
Cyp ress
Malta
Italy
Tunisia
Indiana, Pennsylvania, 2011
n eroo m Ca er Nig
Libya
Chad
Laurel Hill Summit, Pennsylvania, 2011
Gabo n Sao Tom e
Cam eroo n
Nigeri a
Into the light even on the darkest of days. Laurel Hill Summit, Pennsylvania, 2011
Niger
Mal i
Senegal
Maurita nia
Fairfax, Virginia, 2011
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.� -Martin Luther King Jr.
West er
n Sa h ara
Morocco
Spain
ce Fran
“Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace.� -Buddha
Little Rock, Arkansas, 2011
Spain
France
Italy
Slovakia
Little Rock, Arkansas, 2011
“Okhwan was my house guest for the last two nights. Today he heads to Dallas. We were blessed to have this time with Okhwan. We hope you will share his message and we pray that his focus of purpose will come to fruition. Safe journeys to our friend.� -Lealon Worrell
Hungary
Serbia
Montenegro
a Albani
Greenville, Texas, 2011
Macedonia
ovo Kos
Greece
Turkey
Geor gia
Armen ia
Georgia
“This is a really important time to build up our new peaceful world. We need to build up communication and reconciliation to heal the wounded people in North Korea and South Korea.” -Okhwan Yoon
ria Sy
y ke r Tu Iraq
Turkey
Paraguay, 2007
Arabia Saudi n rda o J
UAE
“I am willing to share my experience and knowledge to connect people and build up our peaceful world.” -Okhwan Yoon
India
Ne pa l
Bh uta n Nep al
Okhwan’s Journeys 2001 First Try South Korea, China, Russia (car accident)
2002-2003 Asia, Europe, Australia South Korea, China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand (minor car accident + police incident), Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, flight to Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Tunisia, Algeria. Ferry to Spain. France, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, South Korea
2003-2004 Asia, Europe South Korea, flight to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia-Herczeg, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, France, Portugal (held up), Spain
2004-2005 Africa, Middle East Ferry to Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea (malaria), Sierra Leone, Liberia,
Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola (malaria), Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi (malaria), Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan (kidnapped), Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea (malaria), Flight to Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Syria, (Iraq too dangerous), flight to Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Oman, UAE (minor car accident), Ferry to Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, China, South Korea.
2005-2006 Pacific Islands South Korea, Flight to Taiwan, Philippines, Palau, Malaysia, Indonesia, East Timur, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand
2007-2009 South America, Africa, Caribbean, North America Flight to Chile, Argentina (nose surgery), Uruguay, Brazil (attempted mugging); flight to Madagascar, Comoros,
Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar; flight to Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Suriname (car accident), French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, St. Vincent, Barbados (deported), Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados (deported again), Trinidad & Tobago, flight to St. Lucia, Dominica, Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis, Dominican Republic, Haiti (leg problems), Cuba, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, USA (Texas-California), Mexico, USA (Texas-Florida), Bahamas, USA (Florida-Washington DC), Canada
2009-2010 Leftovers: The Rest of Europe and Africa Flight to Spain, Andorra, France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Norway (Nordcap), flight to Iceland, Norway, flight to Cypress, flight to Malta, Ferry to Italy, Tunisia, Libya, Chad, Niger (malaria), Cameroon, Gabon, flight to Sao Tome, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco
2010 Through the Middle East, to Mt. Everest Spain, France, Italy (lost bicycle), car to Slovakia (given new
bicycle), Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, UAE, flight to Maldives, flight to India, Nepal, Bhutan, Nepal
Dallas, Texas, 2011
follow Okhwan online contact: okhwanstory@gmail.com www.okhwanstory.blogspot.com www.okhwan.com OkhwanYoon
Okhwan Yoon
Book created by Jeff Ottie, Joy Fairbanks, and Sarah Marshall
Into the Light The Mission of Okhwan Yoon