Korea's Road from Ruin to Revival

After three years of fighting and destruction, the Republic of Korea is trying to rise to its feet again, but building the road from war ruin to revival is a mammoth task. The fighting completely disrupted family life. Communications were badly disrupted and whole communities were cut off. There were, and still are, great shortages of food and clothing. About one South Korean out of every four now lives in a makeshift shelter. General living standards are low. There is a great need for help from abroad. The UN Korean Reconstruction Agency (UNKRA) is helping in the basic rebuilding of the country, not only to ensure the industrial and economic recovery of the Republic, but also to improve its health, sanitation and welfare services, institute irrigation and forest conservation policies, rehabilitate damaged educational facilities and provide additional ones, encourage community development, provide new housing facilities and technical assistance and training in a wide diversity of fields.
This photograph shows women washing their laundry on the banks of a river, a familiar sight throughout the country.