Messages from this movie (spoilers here)

While the movie is anti-war, and the story could have been placed in any war ever fought, i think that Koreans also see this movie as a story about the unification of two Koreas.
For those that may not know, Korea was a single civilisation for thousands of years, and was divided by the USSR and the USA into North and South after the end of the Japanese occupation, which then resulted in the Korean war, the setting for this movie.

Let me dissect my opinion:

1. The village symbolises tradional Korea, the one that existed for millenia before the division. A Korea that doesn't know anything about commies, yankees, the 38th parallel etc.

2. The scene where the villagers stand in the middle between the soldiers of the South and the North represents the entire Korean nation torn between the South and the North, who only see each other trough their scopes. Also, the tired soldiers reflect the difficulties this is causing to both Koreas.
In reality, the border between the North and South is a stretch of empty land without any military or civilians, called the Demiliarized Zone (DMZ), and the two armies patrol thier respective sides. In the film, the entire nation was placed here in this empty land. This contrast shows the importance of the DMZ as a metafor for the division, and the pain of the entire Korean nation held at gunpoint among the two sides.
Also, the northerners were holding bombs, which could be a wink to North Korea's nuclear program.

3. The cooperation of soldiers from two armies, and their sacrifice shows the necessity of unification to protect and again establish the Korean civilisation as a whole, as it existed before the division. The armies should be disbanded (sacrificed in a way), and the nation unified.

4. Smith, of course, represents the American army, which is still stationed in S. Korea. Just as Smith did, when the unification is complete, the american army will also leave, and tell the White House that there is nothing more to do in Korea.

5. The final scene where the soldiers are again shown sleeping together symbolises the peace that will the ensue, allowing formerly divided people to once again sleep safely among each other.



I gotta say, i rarely get emotional when i watch movies, but this one made me all gooey. Even now as i write this. Since i am somewhat interested in Korea, i am aware that the possible unification is very important for them. Many families and friends were forcefully separated during the division, and the pain and wishes for unification still echo throughout the peninsula. This film being a beautiful example.