President Park Geun-hye, Chairperson of the National Unification Advisory Council, invited on May 17 the 700 council members from the United States who were visiting their motherland to participate in the 17th Conference of the NUAC Overseas Provincial Assembly (May 16-19) and held a "Unification talk with overseas council members."

"Overseas council members have made their fortunes in a foreign country, in a foreign land far away from home based on the strong mental strength and diligence unique to Koreans, and you are making a lot of effort for the development and unification of our motherland," President Park said. She also asked them to lead the consolidation of domestic/foreign public opinions and unity of the Korean people.

"I am deeply grateful to NUAC for working even under the severe security crisis through the relay of one-man protests against the nuclear testing of the North ― which was participated in by 3,700 council members ― and lectures on unification policies held in major cities worldwide, including Qatar, London, Beijing, and Tokyo," she added.

According to President Park, if North Korea stops its nuclear program and opens itself, it will have an opportunity to prosper with various kinds of support from us and the international society. She also demanded that the North take the road of change and reform and showed her will to establish an environment for North Korea's nuclear renunciation and to open the unification era of peace and happiness.

In response, Executive Vice-chairperson Yoo Ho-yeol (picture above) promised that about 20,000 NUAC council members will dedicate themselves to peaceful unification and consolidation of public opinion with a dream for unification, the talent to realize that dream, the tenacity despite failures, a strong bond of trust with each other, and the patience even amid many difficulties.

During the session that followed on policy proposal from council members, Bae Chang-joon, head of the Houston Chapter, Hwang Woo-sung, secretary of the Boston Chapter, and Hong Ji-young, an Orange San Diego Chapter council member, proposed policies as representatives.

Bae Chang-joon, head of the Houston Chapter, introduced many activities including signature campaign participated in by 3,500 US citizens for human rights in the North, Korean unification essay contest in Mississippi University, Unification Quiz Contest, and signature campaign for overseas Korean societies against the North Korean nuclear program, suggesting that we join in the unification activities to drive the peaceful unification of Korea forward.

Hwang Woo-sung, secretary of the Boston Chapter, introduced the event held for Korean War veterans and participated in by 300 people including Francisco Urena, secretary of Veterans Affairs of Massachusetts, and Leo Agnew, head of the Disabled American Veterans Department of Massachusetts, and stressed that it is important, while preparing for unification, to retain the spirit of sacrifice and protect liberal democracy.

Hong Ji-young, council member of the Orange San Diego Chapter, cited the need for contribution and efforts on the unification of the Korean peninsula based on the capabilities of overseas Korean activists and second generation. She noted that members of the next generation overseas need more opportunities and encouragement to contribute to the unification of the Korean peninsula and to serve our motherland with hope.

The Unification talk with overseas council members lasted for 70 minutes and ended with singing the song of unification and posing for a commemorative photograph. The session was aimed at encouraging council members all over the United States who are working for the peaceful unification of our motherland and spreading the sympathy of unification in overseas Korean societies.

「Unification talk with overseas council members」 President's words of encouragement (Full text)

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! I sincerely welcome you, NUAC Council Members of the United States. You have made your fortunes in a foreign land far away from home based on the strong mental strength and diligence unique to Koreans, and you are now making a lot of efforts for the development and unification of our motherland.

Whenever I pay a visit to foreign countries, I am greatly inspired by overseas Koreans who give strong support for the unification policies of our government. In Korea, 3,700 NUAC council members have staged a relay of one-man protests against the nuclear testing of the North after its fourth nuclear testing, despite the intense cold.

I have also learned that NUAC is giving lectures in major cities worldwide, including Qatar, London, Beijing, and Tokyo, to build sympathy for unification policies in overseas Korean societies. I deeply appreciate your efforts even amid the severe security crisis.

Ladies and gentlemen, our government has been patient despite the aggressive attitude and frequent provocations of the North, and it has done its best to establish peace on the Korean peninsula and base for unification. Despite our expectations and effort, however, the North has continued nuclear tests and missile launches. We concluded that we cannot stop the provocations of the North with the existing measures, and that we should play a leading role in changing the North's wrong strategies. As a result, we came to a difficult decision to shut down the Gaeseong Industrial Complex as the country directly involved in the North Korean nuclear problem and missile launches.

Furthermore, by actively participating in the discussions of international society, the Korean government has driven the strongest sanctions by the United Nations and bilateral sanctions by major countries, and the measure is proving to be effective. Nevertheless, North Korea calls itself a nuclear power and threatens not only the security of Korea but also that of international society with additional provocations and cyber-attack. If North continues with additional nuclear testing and missile launches despite repeated warnings from us and the international society, it will face stronger sanctions and pressure and cause it to self-destruct eventually.

I have visited Iran at the beginning of this month and realized that Iran has a constant stream of investors worldwide after its nuclear deal with international society there were so many investors that it was hard to get a hotel. If North Korea considers Iran as a role model, stops its nuclear program, and opens itself, it will obtain an opportunity to prosper with various kinds of support from us and the international society. I sincerely ask the North to take the road of change and reform.

Ladies and gentlemen, the reason West and East Germany achieved reunification was that the government of West Germany had made persistent efforts along with changes in international society, which was pressuring East Germany to choose reunification. Our government will open the unification era of peace and happiness by establishing the conditions for the North to have no choice but to give up its nuclear program and change. Your support and unity will provide great encouragement along the road. Please lead the consolidation of domestic/foreign public opinions and unity of the Korean people.

I welcome you again for visiting the motherland, and I wish your health and happiness. Thank you.