The 2nd Overseas Chapters Conference of the 16th NUAC (for the council members of the Americas, ASEAN and Russia) was held on June 9 for four days at the Grand Hilton Hotel in Seoul. Attending the conference were 500 council members of 15 municipal chapters from 53 countries.

Hyun Kyung-dae, Executive Vice-chairperson of NUAC, welcomed the members and said, "For the first time, President Park Geun-hye decided that forming the foundation of peaceful unification was one of the key state affairs to achieve national unification."

Hyun expressed his particular appreciation for the the council members from South America, who flew for more than 30 hours and remarked, "We can see that the unification movement is occurring even at the opposite end of the earth, considering the presence of the council members here today. I wish all the council members will productively discuss the topic of unification with equal exchange. The overseas council members who are respected and trusted by the people in their countries are the mirrors and evidence of the success of Korea. I wish you will inspire local Korean societies to renew their grief from the recent ferry disaster."

The Overseas Conference was held for the second time this year following the Americas Assembly Chapters Conference that was held last year on April 29. While the Conference proceeded with a calm and low-key mood, due to the people's emotions impacted by the ferry disaster, the enthusiasm of the attendants for national unification was more heated than ever. "

On the first day of the conference, meetings with senior council members were arranged, where the introduction of each national municipal chapter and a welcoming dinner were held. The second day continued with the key note address by the Executive Vice-chairperson, reports by Park Chan-bong, secretary general of NUAC, reports by Cho Tae-yong, the first vice minister of foreign Affairs and Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae of the Ministry of Unification.

Park Chan-bong, secretary general, expressed his deep condolences to the bereaved families of the ferry victims and he remarked that the conference would be able to renew the grieving hearts of people. He said, "Harmful effects still remaining in our society should be removed and things should get back to normal. The NUAC will strive to establish a developed operation with a clear sense of duty to match with the cause of national unification."

Kim Ki-chol, Vice-chairperson of the Americas Assembly said, "We appreciate the overseas council members for your efforts and activities to strengthen the foundation of achieving a peaceful unification of our fatherland."

The 14 Municipal Chapters attending the conference were as follows by region: △ South-West Asia △ Southern Southeast Asia △ Northern Southeast Asia △ Vietnam △ Australia △ New Zealand △ Toronto △ Vancouver △ Brazil △ Central America. the Caribbean △ South America West △ Moscow △Vladivostok △ Central Asia