'2020 World Korean Association Presidents Conference' Opens... President Moon: "Overcoming COVID-19, Elevating the Status of Koreans in the World"

Minister Kang Kyung-hwa Reads President Moon's Congratulatory Speech... 211 Korean Association Presidents Attend

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 1st, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha attended the opening ceremony of the ‘2020 World Korean Association Presidents’ Conference’ held in a hybrid format of in-person and online at the Grand Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul, where she read President Moon Jae-in’s congratulatory message and welcomed and encouraged over 250 Korean association presidents from around the world.

The 2020 World Korean Association Presidents’ Conference runs until the 3rd, with 211 Korean association presidents and others participating online, and about 30 people, including domestic Korean association conference operation committee members, attending offline.

In his congratulatory message, President Moon Jae-in encouraged the Korean association presidents who have contributed to overcoming the COVID-19 crisis in the motherland and the overseas Korean community this year, expressed his gratitude, and affirmed the government’s various efforts and policy commitments toward overseas Koreans.

He especially mentioned the government’s continuous attention to vulnerable groups and marginalized overseas Koreans, plans to strengthen protection for overseas nationals, and expansion of non-face-to-face consular services.

Through this conference, by providing a platform for non-face-to-face exchanges among Korean association presidents, it is expected to serve as an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation between the global Korean network and overseas Korean communities in a situation where direct exchanges are difficult due to COVID-19.

During the conference, Korean association presidents will share best practices in responding to COVID-19 and engage in in-depth discussions on how to operate Korean associations in the post-COVID-19 era.

Hosted by the Overseas Koreans Foundation and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ‘World Korean Association Presidents’ Conference’ is a representative event involving Korean association presidents worldwide.

The full text of President Moon Jae-in’s congratulatory message is as follows:

Dear Korean Association Presidents, it is a pleasure to meet you.

This past year has been one filled with particular concern for our compatriots, wondering if your livelihoods are stable and if your health is well in foreign lands. This year, the ‘World Korean Association Presidents’ Conference’ is held online amid the COVID-19 situation. Although we cannot meet face to face, just as one longs for family more in difficult times, I hope we can share that longing abundantly. Congratulations on the opening of the ‘2020 World Korean Association Presidents’ Conference,’ and I extend my deep gratitude to Chairman Kim Seong-gon of the Overseas Koreans Foundation and all those involved in preparing this event.

Throughout the year, our overseas Koreans have practiced the spirit of sharing and coexistence worldwide in the face of COVID-19. In March, when masks were scarce domestically and many difficulties arose, the donations and masks sent by the overseas Korean community greatly empowered the people of the motherland. Overseas, centered on Korean associations, they united tightly to provide daily necessities to vulnerable groups and supplied quarantine materials to local nursing homes, police stations, and fire stations, setting an example for local communities. I am truly proud of our overseas Koreans who have elevated the status of Koreans worldwide.

The government has also sought to always be by the side of our overseas Koreans. We increased flights and deployed charter flights to safely bring home 50,000 overseas Koreans from 120 countries. We supported those whose livelihoods became difficult and sent masks to Korean adoptee families.

Support for overseas Koreans has been further strengthened. Starting January next year, the ‘Consular Assistance Act for the Protection of Overseas Nationals’ will be enforced. We will expand dedicated consular service personnel at overseas missions and dramatically improve service quality centered on online platforms suitable for the non-face-to-face era. Treatment and support for Koryo-saram (ethnic Koreans in the former Soviet Union) are also being enhanced, and a special law concerning support for Sakhalin Koreans is scheduled to be enacted early next year. We will actively assist Korean adoptees in settling locally and finding their families.

It is very gratifying that, as seen in the recent U.S. House of Representatives elections where four overseas Koreans were elected, the position and influence of our overseas Korean communities in their respective countries are greatly strengthening. Now, the Republic of Korea will join hands with the 7.5 million overseas Koreans who are building a success story, becoming a country that leads the post-COVID-19 era beyond the world-renowned ‘K-Quarantine.’

I hope today’s ‘World Korean Association Presidents’ Conference’ will be an occasion to confirm the more tightly united image of the overseas Korean community. The government will continue to listen to your voices and stand with you. I wish you all good health and hope that next year we can meet face to face in the motherland and hold hands together.

Thank you.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.