| Presentation of Letter of Designation to Executive Members of the 16th National Unification Advisory Council |
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| Consultation & Advice Division, 2013-06-21 |
President Park presents letters of designation to the executive members of the 16th National Unification Advisory Council
President Park, Chairperson of the Council, presented letters of designation to the executive members of the 16th National Unification Advisory Council on June 20 at the guest house of the Blue House. They numbered 80 in all including 24 vice-chairpersons of the municipal chapters at home and abroad, 10 standing committee chiefs, 15 executive committee members, 13 central committee members, and 19 municipal chapter heads.
Presenting letters of designation to the executive members
In addition, Park Chan-bong, Secretary General, was given a letter of designation by the President.
Presentation of letter of designation by President Park
"We should establish new relations with the North wherein common sense and international norm can work, and the current relations between South and North are very important. The fate of the world as well as that of the Korean Peninsula will change depending on how we will act in relation to the issues of the Korean Peninsula," President Park said during the ceremony for presenting letters of designation to the executive members of the Council.
President Park delivers speech of encouragement
President Park emphasized the need to cut the vicious cycle of provocation from and compensation to the North in the relations between South and North, but that we should lay the foundation for real peace and prosperity in the Korean Peninsula based on consistent principle and mutual trust. “The new administration will firmly cope with provocation from North Korea; if Pyeongyang takes the path of mutual development with sincerity and denuclearization and wishes to be a responsible member of international society, however, we will help North Korea positively together with the international society,” she vowed.
Meeting with the President
Promoting the Korean Peninsula Trust-Building Process under such principle is the right way to have peace in the peninsula take root and build the foundation of peaceful unification, she adds.
Meeting with the President
Meeting with the President
President Park also stressed that the unified support of the people would be the fundamental energy for the government to be able to promote consistent and effective policy toward the North, and that is why the role of the National Unification Advisory Council is very important. "I hope you will make your best efforts, keeping in mind that the future of 70 million people of South and North will change based on your activities," she said.
Greetings by Hyun Kyung-dae, Executive Vice-chairperson of the Council
Hyun Kyung-dae, Executive Vice-chairperson of the Council, said in his greetings that the inclusion of building of foundation of peaceful unification into the four keynotes of government administration indicates the strong will of the President, i.e., that peace in the Korean Peninsula and preparation for national unification should be realized in this era. “We will exert all-out efforts to fulfill such calling of the era and based on a vital sense of responsibility for promoting the unification policy of the new government," he vowed.
Standing executive Lee Hae Kyung (48, North Korean pharmacist), a defector from the North, recalled the past 11 years. "I escaped from North Korea with rat poison in my pocket, thinking of killing myself if I get caught. The freedom and prosperity I enjoy today is too valuable that even the time I sleep is very precious to me," she said.
She went on to add how, after leaving Hanawon (Settlement Support Center for North Korean Refugees), she could hardly appreciate her life of cleaning buildings and working as housekeeper. “Still, I was so excited to breathe and eat in this free part of the same peninsula. I was able to finish my studies at a college of pharmacy here in the South, making money by delivering newspapers and doing other jobs at night. After I earned my PhD degree last January, I could not stop shedding tears," she recalled.
According to her, she learned that she would never starve in the Republic of Korea if she worked hard and diligently.
"My dreams came true in the great Republic of Korea, which gave birth to a female president. Being an member of the National Unification Advisory Council is a great honor for me. I will devote all of my energies, even my life, to national unification," she vowed.
Cha In-tae, Vice-chairperson of the 5 North Korean Provinces, proposing a toast
Kim Gi-pil, Head of Gongju Municipal Chapter (Chungcheongnam-do), vowed to do his best efforts as head to open an era wherein all the people can be happy and South and North can be happy together.
"I feel really proud that the National Unification Advisory Council will perform core roles if our dream of unification comes true tomorrow. We should make ourselves the pivotal figures in promoting the government policy regarding unification and North Korea and lead in generating the energy for people's happiness," said Koo Bon-tae, Chief of the unification education committee.
Meeting with the standing committee chiefs and secretaries
The ceremony for presenting letters of designation to the heads of domestic municipal chapters was held at Grand Hilton Hotel, including meetings with the chairpersons and secretaries of subcommittees of the 16th Central Committee to discuss how to operate each standing committee.