Issue 29: 2020. 10. 21. – “Anniversary & Fire Drill”

Dear all,

Greetings from Korea! Chuseok (Korean Thankgiving) has come and gone, and now we've gone through two-thirds of October. We are nearing the finish line for a crazy year, a year which has somehow managed to feel both inexorably long and inexplicably short. On the plus side, I think we all have found new hobbies that can be done indoors, if for no other reason than to maintain our sanity.

The social distancing restrictions have been withdrawn a level since the last update, and schools have begun to resume full-scale physical attendance this week while maintaining one or two days a week of remote learning. It remains to be seen whether the opening of schools will have any effect on the situation at hand; we will keep you appraised of any happenings should it reach a significant level.

Funnily enough, today we had a full-scale fire drill at PACOM (just to emphasize, a drill--there was no fire). While perhaps not for the ideal reason, it was the first time in a long time that virtually all of the PACOM employees were gathered together in a relatively small area since......February? It served as a reminder of how things had been; hopefully it also serves as a sign of what will be again as well.

Last Friday (Oct. 16) was the 21st anniversary of the founding of PACOM. While normally a cause for a company-wide celebration and possibly a day of festivities, the situation being what it is resulted in no social event and just a gift basket for each employee. Still, the fact that PACOM has not only survived but is still going strong after 21 years and in a topsy-turvy year at that is something that every PACOM employee is proud of. Here's to many more good years!

A relatively short update this time. Take care of yourselves as the weather is getting chillier--the sniffles are nothing to trifle with, especially in this year where coughing and fever immediately make you suspect something other than the common cold or flu.

Until next time!

Best regards,
Yu Bum Kim