Saemaul Undong Archives : A Legendary Person Fell Four Times and Rose Again

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A Legendary Person Fell Four Times and Rose Again

“A Sea Man”, Mr. Oh Sung- cheol

Sun-Jae Island, the Most Beautiful Island in Korea

Sun-Jae Island is located in the west sea of Ongjin-gun, Incheon. It is a beautiful island, especially in the golden glow of sunset. When the tide is low, the water is literally divided into two parts and people can walk 500 meters to Mok Island (which is uninhabited). Due to these characteristics, CNN selected it as the first place among the ‘33 most beautiful islands in Korea’.

Now, Sun-Jae Island is connected with the land and many tourists visit there. However, before 2000, getting there by taking a ship was the only way. Moreover, in the 1960s, it was one of the underdeveloped islands where people lived by gathering Malina clams and farming barley and potatoes. One man transformed this island village into a wealthy village in only eight years.

The Sight of Sun-Jae Island (Ong-Jin County Office)

The dream of Oh Sung-cheol,

a 20-year-old man who settled in Sun-Jae Island in 1961, was to establish a school. However, he decided to earn money after facing financial difficulties. He took advantage of the mudflats, an asset of the waterside, to raise crabs.

"What did you say? Do you want to do a crab farm business?"

"Yes. It's a little different, but I should make money first. If the original purpose remains the same, then it’s all good."

Then he built a crab farm by blocking the sea and released 6,000 crabs. But that year, severe cold set in and the sea around Incheon was frozen. The crabs all died.

Mr. Sung-cheol suggested to his friend building a briquette factory as his second business.

"Hey! Why don’t we try a briquette plant? As the trees become scarce, we will be in need of briquettes."

"Briquette plant, isn’t that a good idea? But what about money?"

"First, I will buy briquettes for the wholesale price, and then will sell them at a retail price so there will be some profit. Let's make money that way and start a factory."

"Cool. I’m pretty sure it will succeed.”

He was counting on the business, which supplies briquettes to fishing villages that lack firewood. However, when they shipped 5,000 briquettes and loaded them into the warehouse, the briquettes collapsed. It was due to lack of skills to piling briquettes up. At that time, he lost a fortune of 100,000 won all at once and had to close the business.

The business that Mr. Oh thought of was to run a salt farm.

"Hey, what are you doing there?”

"Hello, town head. We are trying to block the sea to make a salt farm."

"Huh, you're doing such great work."

The Sea around Sun-Jae Island (Saemaul Illustration Books, 1977)

The town head, who was watching him carrying stones to the beach, introduced him to the officials in the district office. After listening to his business plan, the official supported him to the tune of 400,000 won without hesitation. He bought the abandoned mud flats and then started building the salt farm with dozens of residents. The following year, the farm produced 1,500 bags of salt. Then, the salt farm quadrupled and he brought in more residents. However, he was bankrupted due to poor management by his business partner.

"What’s up? Now, are you sick of the sea?"

"Haha! I'm scared even when I only gaze on the sea. Now, my will will be done on the land."

"Humph, I will see how long that resolution will last."

After one more failed business, he went back to Seoul and regained his mental stability. However, he returned to his hometown. He wanted to do something in his hometown at any expense, and he built a rice mill. This time, because of the mistake of an employee, the mill was burnt down.

[Book] “Sea Man”:

"The district office and local branch of Suhyup (National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives) regard our village as one of the most troubled. Let's make it strong with our pride!"

"Look, sir! The oyster farm is what many people have tried and failed, what are you talking about?"

"Don’t you know that an oyster farm is not doable because the tide is big here?"

"It seems that the failures of the past were not enough for him."

Oh Sung- cheol proposed to build a collaborative oyster farm to the residents in 1970. But the residents’ reaction was cold. Four challenges and four failures,

how did he overcome the last crisis?