The 16th NUAC Overseas Assembly was held from June 9 to 12 at the Grand Hilton Hotel in Seoul, where 486 council members from 14 assembly organizations from 53 countries attended.

The Assembly was held under the title of, "Bonanza Era of National Unification, Joint Unification Preparation." On the first day of the Assembly, the orientation for the attendees; the senior council members meeting; and the welcome dinner, which was hosted by the Executive Vice-chairperson of the NUAC, were held. On June 10, which was the second day of the Assembly, the opening ceremony, the key note address by the Executive Vice-chairperson, reports on the major businesses of NUAC, reports on the state affairs by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Unification, a special lecture on national unification, and group discussions proceeded.

There were 14 overseas assemblies that presented their action plans on June 11, and a special cultural lecture and dialogue with the NUAC president was held on the same day. Overseas council members paid a visit to the sites for national security and unification such as Dorasan Observatory, Tongilchon Village, and Imjinkak Pavilion on the last day of the Assembly.

Overseas municipal chapters that participated in the Assembly were from △Southwest Asia △ Northern Southeast Asia △ Southern Southeast Asia △ Vietnam △ Australia △ New Zealand △ Toronto △ Vancouver △ Brazil △ Central America and the Caribbean △ Western South America △ Moscow △ Vladivostok and △ Central Asia.

A senior council member meeting was held prior to the main session to discuss the programs and operation of the Assembly.

Attending the meeting were 42 senior staff members. These members included Hyun Kyung-dae, Executive Vice-chairperson of the NUAC; Secretary General Park Chan-bong; Kim Ki-chol, Vice-chairperson of the Americas; standing committee members; the chiefs of the 14 overseas municipal chapters; secretaries; and branch office managers.

Overseas council members from many countries were briefed by the NUAC Secretariat about the itinerary of the Assembly, and they attended the welcome dinner hosted by Executive Vice-chairperson Hyun Kyung-dae.

Hyun appreciated that the overseas council members attended the Assembly and said in his welcoming address, "I hope that our joint objectives of preparing for national unification will be actively discussed and that sufficient exchanges amongst the attendants could be made on the occasion of this Assembly."

He also said, "President Park Geun-hye is the first President who has put establishing the foundation of peaceful unification as a keynote for the government administration to achieve national unification. The overseas council members are requested to build a foundation for national unification by carrying a sense of duty in doing so."

He added, “Overseas council members who are respected and trusted by the overseas Koreans residing in their regions are the mirrors of the Republic of Korea and are the evidence of success. You are also expected to encourage the people of your motherland, who are greatly depressed by the recent ferry disaster."

Secretary General Park Chan-bong said, "It's time for us to get back to normal from the harmful effects in our society on the occasion of the Sewol ferry tragedy. The NUAC will aim to achieve mature and developed operations with a clear sense of duty."

After the opening ceremony, regular meetings started at 9 a.m. on June 10.

Hyun Kyung-dae, Executive Vice-chairperson of the NUAC, spent a lot of time explaining the advantages that can be brought about by national unification during his keynote speech that was titled, "Unification Bonanza – The Start of World Prosperity and Peace.”

He said, "Unification is the first step from which Korea can become a leader in the world."

He continued, "I appreciate all the council members who are working on the front lines to secure the support of international societies for the unification policy of our government. All of us should exert our best efforts for Korea to be a 'Lamp for the East’."

Hyun also explained the "Eurasia Initiative," which was proposed by President Park, so as to enhance the council members’ understanding of it.

The core of the Eurasia Initiative is to create, ‘One Continent, a Continent of Creation and a Continent of Peace.’ President Park's visit to the three countries in Central Asia last June was a unification diplomacy tour that was conducted to prepare for the Eurasia Initiative, which is a core for the new unification plan.

Park Chan-bong, the secretary general of the NUAC, explained in detail the outcome of the major activities of the NUAC and its future plans. He said that the NUAC would be focused on the following areas as its overseas activities: △strengthening support from international societies; △ Fostering next generation leaders and strengthening women's capability of preparing forunification; and △ fostering communication and harmony between overseas Koreans.

Kim Ki-chol, the Vice-chairperson of Americas Assembly, said, "Overseas council members will encourage overseas Koreans sense of enthusiasm for national unification by conducting creative unification activities and by performing leading roles in securing support and assistance from the countries where we live for the unification of the Korean Peninsula."

Minister of Unification, Ryoo Kihl-jae, said in his address of Direction and Subject of the Era of Unified Korean Peninsula about the recent inter-Korean relation including △ Trust-Building Process of Korean Peninsula △ Unification Bonanza and △Dresden Plan of Peaceful Unification of Korean Peninsula

Minister Ryoo referred to "Crow's Eye View: The Korean Peninsula" which awarded the Golden Lion for Best National Participation of International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia on June 7 and said, "It is important to carry insight of treating heavy and gigantic subject like national unification with light and soft touch sometimes.”

He added, "Overseas council members are requested to lead unification diplomacy in the overseas Korean communities in a manner that is focused on communication, based on the trust building process of the Korean Peninsula.

Cho Tae-yong, the first Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, explained government diplomatic policy in his speech on "Changing the Unification Environment and the Direction of Diplomatic Policies."

Vice Minister Cho said, "Park Geun-hye’s government aims to achieve the peaceful unification through trust diplomacy. The target of trust diplomacy is to settle sustainable peace by preventing the provocation of North Korea, inducing internal change of North Korea and ultimately establish a unified Korean Peninsula through international cooperation by expanding international support foundation for national unification."

Improving human rights in North Korea was another subject among the lectures.

Professor Lee Jung-hoon of Yonsei University, who acts as a Human Right Ambassador of Korea, said in his lecture called, ‘The Truth Behind Human Rights in North Korea and How to Improve It,’ that, "A more correct human rights policy is the cornerstone of national unification, and improving human rights in North Korea is the start of unification. Overseas council members of NUAC performed great roles in informing the real situation of North Korea’s human rights around the world. However, more of such efforts are required to raise international concern about the human rights situation in North Korea.“

The council members were divided into groups, where they had discussions and evaluated the performance of unification movements made so far, and discussed ways to promote the movement more efficiently.

The council members' major subjects during the group discussions included: △ Promote private public diplomacy △ Education of the next generation for national unification △ Roles of overseas Koreans to improve human rights in North Korea △ Support North Korean refugees living overseas.

The third day of the meeting started with presenting the results of the group discussions that were held the previous day.

The different action plans that were considered during the group discussions were presented by 14 regional assemblies.

Ko Hakchan, president of Seoul Arts Center, said in his lecture called, 'Communication and Arts,' that, "Culture is a window through which different races and generations communicate. The overseas council members are requested to spread Korean culture to international societies, and lead in establishing the bond of sympathy from the countries where they live in."

He said that projecting sincerity and establishing a good impression are more powerful in communication than big words. The Unification Bonanza, as described by President Park, can be the beginning of establishing harmony not only in Korea but also in international societies.

Ji Seong-ho, North Korean refugee and representative of NAUH, which is a youth group preparing for national unification, testified how he led his life in North Korea and escaped from the country based on his own experiences.

The council members were able to confirm the misery that the North Koreans experienced in their daily lives, and what the real situation of human rights was like in the country. The members said that they would work harder to have the international societies gain a transparent understanding of the situation in North Korea.

The overseas council members were invited by President Park to the Blue House, the Korean president's official office and residence, to have a dialogue about national unification.

President Park appreciated the activities of the members and said, "I wish for all the overseas members of NUAC to lead the future of Korea with the diplomatic duty of establishing national unification." (More details to follow)

On June 12, the last day of the meeting, the overseas council members paid a visit to the Dorasan Observatory, which faces North Korea, Tongilchon Village, Imjinkak Pavilion and also attended the events, “Tolling a Bell Wishing for Unification” and “Hanging Ribbons Wishing for Unification.”