The inaugural session of the Qingdao Municipal Chapter (head: Lee Yeong-nam) of the 17th term of NUAC was held on Jul. 18 (Sat.) at Shingang Double Tree Hotel in China.

A total of 100 attendees including Hyun Kyung-dae, Executive Vice-chairperson of NUAC, Lee Chang-ho, Vice-chairperson of the China Assembly, Lee Su-jon, Korean Consul General to Qingdao, Lee Bong-san, Chairman of the Chinese-Korean Businessmen Association in Qingdao, Qingdao Chinese-Korean Women’s Association members, NUAC members in Qingdao, and Koreans living in the city participated in the ceremony.

The inauguration session was held in two parts. The first part included the screening of a video introducing the 17th term of NUAC and the presentation of the letter of appointment as NUAC member. In addition, a letter of appreciation was awarded to Lee Seok-jae, former chief of the Qingdao Municipal Chapter, for his service.

The attendees watched President Park Geun-hye’s videotaped speech. This was followed by reporting on the action plan of the 17th term of NUAC, selection of executives of the Qingdao Municipal Chapter, and reporting of the business promotion plan for the year. Hyun Kyung-dae, Executive Vice-chairperson of NUAC, gave a lecture on national unification during the second part of the session.

The Executive Vice-chairperson presented the letter of appointment to the new members of the 17th term of the Qingdao Municipal Chapter on behalf of President Park.

Ko Seung-ok, Lee Eun-jeong, and all other NUAC members in Qingdao took an oath as members of NUAC.

• “National unification is the cornerstone of building a state and the pride of Korean people to contribute to world peace. Three keys are required to achieve peaceful unification. First is the Republic of Korea having firm belief in unification. Second are the North Koreans with whom we enjoy prosperity and with whom we will heal the pain of division. Third is the help of the Chinese government aiming at world peace. We wish prosperity and peace for Korea and China. Let’s keep on rowing the boat until the horn tells us that Korea is unified,” said Lee Yeong-nam, chief of the 17th-term Qingdao Municipal Chapter, in his opening speech.

The China Provincial Assembly (Vice-chairperson: Lee Chang-ho) turned over US $2,000 to the Qingdao Municipal Chapter in support of their unification activities.

“Let us make our best efforts to end the reality of a divided country, which has been burdening our hearts for the past 7 decades, and to connect the country’s upper and lower bodies, which have been detached for such a long time. Our power is small, but it will be of great help to the Republic of Korea. As the new Vice-chairperson of the China Assembly, I will support the unification activities of the NUAC China Assembly,” said Lee Chang-ho, Vice-chairperson of the China Assembly, in his congratulatory speech.

• According to Lee Su-jon, Korean Consul General to Qingdao, the support and trust of surrounding countries and internal societies are definitely required to unify the two Koreas. “Especially, China is very close to us and is the most important country in establishing the foundation for unifying the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, close cooperative relations between Korea and China and positive recognition of the Chinese government on the unification of Korea will play an important role. NUAC members are the leaders of achieving the great task of national unification; in particular, those living in China should convince China that the unification of Korean Peninsula is in accord with the interest of China and Northeast Asia in terms of economy and national security,“ he stressed.

• Bang Sang-myung, president of the Qingdao Korean Association, expressed hope that all NUAC members will lead the way to the peaceful unification of Korea, and that Korean communities in Qingdao and all overseas Koreans in China will support it with one mind.

• “The peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula is also the desperate wish and desire of Chinese-Koreans. The identity and homogeneity of Chinese-Koreans do not change since they belong to the same tribe of Koreans. We will add our little strength to achieving the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula,” said Lee Bong-san, president of the Chinese-Korean Businessmen Association in Qingdao.

• Dong Seung-cheol, manager of the Overseas Region Division of NUAC, made a report on the “Roles and Function of NUAC,” “Goals of Activities and Promotion of Subjects of the 17th-term NUAC,” and “Major Projects of Overseas Assemblies in the Second Half of 2015” for overseas members to understand their roles and function. He also asked overseas NUAC members to participate in the “Contest to Write the Lyrics of the Unification Song for 80 Million Korean People.”

• “The unity and harmony of Korean communities overseas are required. NUAC members should make their best efforts to perform their roles as stipulated in the rules of the Act on Unification Advisory; national unification cannot be achieved only by the efforts of the President, government departments, and NUAC -- it can be done when all of us are of one will and one heart for the unification. Whether unification comes true or not and when it can be realized depend on how we will try to do it. The establishment of foundation for peaceful unification, inauguration of the Committee on Preparing for National Unification, and theory of unification bonanza as one the four key notes of administering state affairs are the expression of strong will for peaceful unification of the President based on the mission given to a president of Korea. The cooperation and support of the surrounding countries are important for the unification of Korea. It is up to the NUAC overseas members and overseas Koreans to draw the support of the surrounding countries. In particular, your efforts and activities for it in China are extremely important. I wish all of you will gear up in your preparations for national unification and lead the unification movement based on free democratic fundamental order,” said NUAC Executive Vice-chairperson Hyun Kyung-dae in his unification lecture.