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Monday, Aug 17, 2009
Councilwoman Hahn Celebrates Korean Liberation Day
August 17, 2009
This weekend, I celebrated the 64th Anniversary of Korean Liberation Day with the community, at the Korean Friendship Bell in San Pedro.
The Korean Bell, besides being beautiful and majestic, is a wonderful symbol of the friendship that exists between the United States and Korea. It is also a symbol of respect between the San Pedro community and Los Angeles Korean community.
The island of Korea has been divided since the Korean War in 1953. And though some progress has been made in trying to reunite the island, North and South Korea continues to be divided.
This year’s Independence Day comes at a particularly appropriate time, on the heels of the March 17th capture of American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were detained at the North Korean border, arrested, and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor. Finally, during the first week of August, former President Clinton met with Kim Jong IL and was able to arrange for their release on August 5th.
The family and friends of the journalists, along with every American, are so grateful for their liberation. We can only hope that this act of good will on the part of North Korea will lead to liberation for all of its countrymen.
Most Koreans long for unification, and the people of the North yearn for the freedoms currently enjoyed only in the South.
I am confident that the relationship between South Korea and the United States will continue to be one of prosperity and progress, as our mutual commitment to friendship endures. I hope we can work together to ensure that every Korean will one day be able to enjoy freedom.
Posted at 12:00 AM