President Park Geun-hye invited on Nov. 2 overseas members of NUAC from China, Japan, Europe, Middle East, and Africa attending the 3rd NUAC Conference of Overseas Municipal Chapters Council Members for a unification dialogue with them. “Our unification movement supported by communication and cooperation at the private level as well as by the government can realize harmony and prosperity wherein international societies and mankind can be involved,” she said.

At least 560 overseas council members including Hyun Kyung-dae, executive vice chairperson of NUAC, Park Chan-bong, Secretary General of NUAC, and Park Deok, Vice Chairperson of the Europe council had a meaningful dialogue with President Park. In particular, pop singer Lee Seung-chul, who had a concert in Dokdo Island and UN, attended the meeting with North Korean Youth Refugee Chorus “With YOU.”

President Park thanked the NUAC overseas members who continue to love their motherland while leading a life that is far from easy in foreign countries. They are diplomats for national unification, she said, and went on to explain the necessity of unifying the Korean peninsula and asked them to make efforts to gain the support and bond of sympathy of international societies for the unification of the Korean peninsula.

President Park emphasized the importance of the role of NUAC in preparing for unification. “NUAC maintains broad human networks at home and abroad, covering all important regions in the world, various classes of people, and ideology. When NUAC leverages its advantages through close cooperation with the Ministry of Unification and Council of Unification Preparation, it can lay the cornerstone for grassroots unification movement,“ she said.

She cited as an example a letter written by Jo Si-eun, an elementary school girl who won the top award in the Contest on Letter Writing to North Korean Friends organized by NUAC last August, and stressed that the peaceful unification of Korea is the most valuable inheritance we can bequeath to our descendants.

“I was told that Jo Si-eun’s father is the late Jo Cheon-hyeong, a navy sergeant who was killed during the second Yeon Pyeong Naval Warfare with North Korea. She wrote in her letter that she lost her beloved father during the battle, but a certain North Korean friend of hers is in danger of losing his or her father as well, and that she herself and her unknown North Korean friend would pray together that such tragedy would never happen again. I was very impressed with her, who nurtures the hope of national unification even though she is suffering from the pain of losing her father due to the division of our country," she explained.

President Park reiterated that the peaceful and free unification of the Korean peninsula is the most valuable heritage we can bequeath to the coming generation.

She cited the need for dialogue with North Korea and importance of building trust between the two Koreas from and by agreement on low-level issues. “We should keep accumulating experience in cooperation to recover national homogeneity and open a path of meeting and communication with each other for mutual trust and achieve national unification that all of us dream of. When South and North Korea open up a path of environment, livelihood, and culture for the happiness of the people and mutual development, we can achieve soft unification of a community of livelihood, culture, and environment, which will eventually lead to the peaceful unification of the Korean peninsula." she explained.

The South Korean government has been advising North to come to the table of dialogue, and now is the time for Pyeongyang to open its door and come out, she added.

“I was told that Jo Si-eun’s father is the late Jo Cheon-hyeong, a navy sergeant who was killed during the second Yeon Pyeong Naval Warfare with North Korea. She wrote in her letter that she lost her beloved father during the battle, but a certain North Korean friend of hers is in danger of losing his or her father as well, and that she herself and her unknown North Korean friend would pray together that such tragedy would never happen again. I was very impressed with her, who nurtures the hope of national unification even though she is suffering from the pain of losing her father due to the division of our country," she explained.

“We thank President Park for attending the unification dialogue with the council members to collect their wisdom and thoughts on national unification.

With President Park making her utmost efforts in building the foundation for national unification, which she thinks is one of the most important goal of state affairs, all NUAC members should support her with a strong will for unification. When the overseas NUAC members fulfill their vocation, it will be of great help in strengthening our capability for unification,“ said Hyun Kyung-dae, executive vice chairperson of NUAC.

Hyun had the honor of introducing Mr. Lee Bong-nam, 95 years of age and one of the Korean War veterans who fought the war as a student volunteer soldier. Pop singer Lee Seung-chul and the North Korean Refugee Chorus organized by 20 young refugees graced the event on behalf of the North Korean refugees, whom President Park showers with special affection.

“We will fully understand the inter-Korean policy of the government and exert efforts for the unification diplomacy at the private level and guide the people of the country where we live in supporting the Republic of Korea in leading the unification of the Korean peninsula,” said Lee Hoon-bok, vice chairperson of the China council.

The North Korean Refugee Chorus conducted by pop singer Lee Seung-chul sang “On the Day“ for the President and council members, who applauded and encouraged them. President Park posed for photos with the chorus members and interacted with them.

“It is a great honor for us to sing the unification song before President Park. I realized that preparations for national unification are well underway when I watched NUAC members in their activities," said Kang Won-cul (student of the North Korean Graduate School of Korea Univ.), a member of the chorus With You.