한국어
On October 1, Moon Kyunghwan, President of the Korean American Society of Greater Kansas City (KASGKC), attended the World Korean Association Leaders Conference, hosted by the Overseas Koreans Agency in South Korea. This event brought together Korean community leaders from around the world to promote Korea’s excellence and advance the overseas Korean community. Highlights included a presentation on “My Country, My Korea,” showcasing Korea’s development and the success of Korean pop culture, along with a dialogue with government representatives and an informative session on the Overseas Koreans Agency’s support programs.
The “My Country, My Korea” session, introduced for the first time, received significant praise for presenting Korea’s rapid progress and global cultural impact. Additionally, the Overseas Koreans Agency’s support program briefing provided practical, actionable information to Korean organizations, which attendees found highly valuable. The “Dialogue with Government” session attracted strong interest, as the agency introduced its service center, the Ministry of Justice explained nationality laws affecting overseas Koreans, and the National Tax Service discussed relevant tax policies. Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho presented the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s unification vision, known as the “August 15 Unification Doctrine,” which resonated deeply with President Moon and other attendees.
Discussions on Sister City Collaboration with Jeonju
Following the conference, President Moon, alongside Director Kim Sung-bae and a KASGKC delegation, visited Jeonju to meet with Mayor Woo Beom-ki. This meeting served as an essential platform for exploring cultural exchanges and the potential establishment of a sister city relationship between Kansas City and Jeonju. Jeonju expressed strong interest in strengthening ties with Kansas City through a sister city relationship, envisioning enhanced bonds between the two cities.
The delegation also met with local Jeonju businesses to discuss opportunities for export partnerships to Kansas City and the U.S., as well as potential collaborations with Kansas City’s Korean-American business community. This visit laid the groundwork for future exchanges and the possibility of establishing a formal sister city relationship.
Kansas City currently maintains 12 sister cities, including cities in Japan, China, and Taiwan, but has yet to establish one with a Korean city. Through fostering ties with Jeonju, KASGKC aims to expand the influence of the Korean community and strengthen cultural and economic ties between South Korea and the United States. In support of this goal, the Kansas City Sister Cities Association has formed a committee to promote the sister city initiative with Jeonju, led by Ben Ahn and President Moon Kyunghwan.
Individuals and organizations interested in the sister city project between Kansas City and Jeonju are encouraged to contact Ben Ahn or President Moon. This meeting demonstrated the potential for fruitful collaboration between the two cities, and ongoing exchanges and partnerships are expected to further solidify ties between Korea and Kansas City.
For the full article on the meeting between KASGKC and Jeonju, visit: https://news.zum.com/articles/93745207