‘2nd Separated Families Day’ congratulatory speech… Minister of Unification reads
President Yoon Seok-yeol said on the 15th, the 2nd Separated Families Day, that “the most urgent humanitarian task we must resolve is the issue of separated families.”
At the “Separated Families Day” ceremony held at the KBS Art Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Unification and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, President Yoon said in a commemorative speech read by the Minister of Unification, “It is difficult to even imagine the sorrow of separated families who have not been able to see their families for over 70 years.”
President Yoon said, “Of the approximately 130,000 people who applied for separated family reunion, approximately 3,000 people pass away every year without being able to meet their families,” adding, “There are now only about 40,000 separated families left who desperately miss their families and await the day of reunion.”
He continued, “Although the North Korean authorities are refusing even humanitarian exchanges, we are looking for things we can do and pushing them forward first,” and “We are strengthening the foundation for exchanges between separated families through surveys of the status of separated families at home and abroad, genetic testing, production of video letters, and invitations to separated families for comfort events.”
In particular, he emphasized, “We will continue to urge the international community to pay attention to the issue of separated families on the international stage, including the United Nations, and strengthen the foundation for cooperation.”
President Yoon said, “The government will continue to do its best to comfort your pain and bring forward a unified Republic of Korea of freedom and prosperity,” and expressed his condolences to the separated families.
When the revised Act on Confirmation of Life and Death of Separated Families and Promotion of Exchanges (Separated Families Act) was promulgated in March of last year, Separated Families Day (two days before Chuseok) was designated as a national holiday.
About 320 people, including separated families, related organizations, the Speaker and members of the National Assembly, and government officials, attended the ceremony that day.
(Seoul = News 1)
-
- great
- 0dog
-
- I’m sad
- 0dog
-
- I’m angry
- 0dog
-
- I recommend it
- dog
Hot news right now
2024-09-15 03:29:38