President Park Geun-hye gives the congratulatory speech during a ceremony to mark the ninth anniversary of Overseas Koreans Day, in Seoul on Oct. 5.
“Koreans who have made successful lives overseas are valuable assets of the nation,” said President Park Geun-hye in her congratulatory speech during a ceremony to mark the ninth anniversary of Overseas Koreans Day on Oct. 5.
President Park said that, “You will continue those stories, making a difference to the nation and to its further innovation.”
At the ceremony in Seoul, the president expressed her heartfelt gratitude to about seven million Koreans who live overseas, thanking them for their contributions to national development. “You shed sweat in other countries, only thinking about your nation when it was in need. Some of you dedicated yourselves to earning foreign currency, working as nurses or miners. You have all played a pivotal role in lifting the nation out of its ordeals and raising its status all around the world.”
She also urged overseas Koreans to, “become missionaries in each country for a peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula. I hope you will make joint efforts to hand a brighter future of our one nation over to the next generations to come. A unified Korea is a path toward new hope for the nation and for the people, and will provide a new growth engine for prosperity.”
The president vowed to start government-level programs from which the sons and daughters of Korean emigrants will benefit, including more Korean language classes. Other efforts include improving a scholarship system, expanding exchange programs among youth and, lastly, strengthening networks among overseas Korean communities.
“We will unite our people all around the world into one, so that they can stand firmly together on the global stage,” she stated.
The Korean government has designated Oct. 5 as Overseas Koreans Day, with the goal of inspiring national spirit and ethnic consciousness among Korean residents abroad.
By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Cheong Wa Dae
jiae5853@korea.kr
President Park Geun-hye attends a ceremony to celebrate the ninth Overseas Koreans Day, in Seoul on Oct. 5.
President Park Geun-hye confers medals on people of recognition who have contributed to the development of overseas Korean communities, during a ceremony to celebrate the ninth Overseas Koreans Day in Seoul on Oct. 5.
