About Cambodia
The Kingdom of Cambodia, formerly
known as Kampuchea, Khmer is a country
in Southeast Asia that borders Thailand to
the west and northwest, Laos to the
north, Vietnam to the east and southeast,
and the Gulf of Thailand to the south.
Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy
with Norodom Sihamoni as King. Phnom Penh is the kingdom’s capital and
largest city, and is the principal center for the country’s economical,
industrial, commerce and cultural center of Cambodia. Most Cambodians
are Theravada Buddhists, but the country also has a substantial number of
predominantly Muslim Cham, as well as ethnic Chinese, Vietnamese and
small animist hill tribes.
To Find Shining Khmer
Lee Dahye / Jeunior Reporter
www.cambodia.gov.kr
Ngy Rattanak
Kesey
I am Kesey, from
Cambodia.
I have been in Korea
since February 26, to
study in Global
Cooperation major as
an international
student.
I decided to go to SMU
because I want to
study in School of
Global Service.
I think it is so
interesting and
suitable for my favor.
I enjoy studying here
with other Korean
friends.
lovekesey@yahoo.com
The Sookmyung TIMES_025
The Glory of Khmer
SMT Cambodia remains a beautiful
civilizaition. What’s the background of
it?
KESEY During the 3rd, 4th, and 5th
centuries, the Indianised states of
Funan and Chenla coalesced in what is
now present-day Cambodia and
southwestern Vietnam. For more than
2,000 years, Cambodia absorbed
influences from India and China
passing them on to other Southeast
Asian civilisations that are now
Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. The
Khmer Empire flourished in the area
from the 9th to the 13th century.
That’s the root of a briliant civilization.
The Khmer Empire declined yet
remained powerful in the region until
the 15th century. The empire’s centre
of power was Angkor, where a series of
capitals was constructed during the
empire’s zenith. Angkor, the world’s
largest pre-industrial civilization, and
Angkor Wat, the most famous and
best-preserved religious temple at the
site, are reminders of Cambodia’s past
as a major regional power.
SMT Many people think Cambodia,
they easily recall ‘Angkor Wat.’ What’s
the meaning for Cambodian? Also,
would you recommend other vistiable
places that greatly feel Khmer
civilization except for Angkor Wat in
Cambodia?
KESEY It’s ‘Angkor Wat’ that
represents the civilization of
Cambodia. It combines it with the
Khmer heritage and culture. With
decline of the Angkor, it was concealed
under jungle in the 15th century. One
day, it was founded by a french
explorer. However, there was a curse.
He died of a fever since he found the
architectures of God. Whatever it is,
we can see and feel it again thanks to
him. Even it has been a part of
Cambodian national flags since 1863.
We are so proud to be Cambodians.
For places which worth visiting, I
recommend Independence Monument,
or Vimean Ekareach, was built in 1958
in Phnom Penh to commemorate
Cambodia’s independence from French
colonial rule. Also, I would like to
reconmend a stupa which houses the
skulls of those killed at Choeung Ek
and is able to feel sadness about the
killing fields.
Painful Scars of Cambodia
SMT Although Cambodian civilization
was good, it is hard to preserve it. Like
Korea, I heard Cambodia was invaded
by some of neighbor countries. Could
you tell more about the history?
KESEY After a long series of wars with
neighboring kingdoms, Cambodia
continued as part of the colony of
French Indochina, though occupied by
the Japanese empire from 1941 to 1945.
But, under the reign of King Norodom
Sihanouk, Cambodia gained
independence from France on
November 9, 1953. Cambodia became
a constitutional monarchy under King
Norodom Sihanouk. However, before
long the Vietnam War broke out.
Although Cambodia adopted an official
policy of neutrality in the Cold War,
Vietnam and U.S. forces bombed and
invaded Cambodia in an effort to
disrupt the Viet Cong, Vietname
Communist, which is a political
organization in South Vietnam and
Cambodia and Khmer Rouge. So many
Cambodian were suffered from another
hardship.
SMT There was a painful time
until Cambodia sets up a
constitutional monarchy. What
are the killing fields?
KESEY ‘The Killing Fields’ refer to
a number of sites in Cambodia
where mass slaughter of some
2,000,000 people was carried out
by the Khmer Rouge regime
during its rule of the country from
1975 to 1979, immediately after
the end of the Vietnam War. Pol pot
who was the leader of the Cambodian
communist movement, led Khmer
rounge to take over Phnom Penh, a
capital of Cambodia. He attempted to
rebuild the country’s agriculture on the
model of the 11th century, discarded
Western medicine, and destroyed
temples, libraries, and anything
considered Western. Over a million
Cambodians, out of a total population
of 8 million, died from executions,
overwork, starvation and disease.
Across Cambodia and
Korea
SMT I think Cambodia and Korea have
some similarities such as history.
Nowadays, many Korean people go
Cambodia for tourism, business, and
missionary work. What do Cambodian
people think of Korea?
KESEY Many Cambodian like Korea.
Cambodia is also affected by Hanryu,
the Korean culture flow. When I was in
Cambodia, I knew Rain through his
movies and his songs which were
translated into Khmer language. His
dancing is also powerful and
intelligent. Korean dance is very
attractive and wonderful through what
I have seen on the TV entertainment.
They dance with their own different
styles and they are very handsome,
PHOTOFROM KESEY
www.rickmann-uk.com
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