Ethiopian veteran invited to Korea

President Lee Myung-bak, left, talks with Hailu Ayaleu, a 79-year-old Korean War veteran, second from right, in Kebena, an urban slum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, when he visited his home on July 9. / Yonhap

By Kang Hyun-kyung

A Korean War veteran living in an urban slum in Addis Ababa will be invited to visit South Korea six decades after he fought for democracy and freedom for the citizens during the war.

Hailu Ayaleu, a 79-year old veteran living in Kebena, had always wished to visit Seoul, Incheon and other big cities in South Korea again. Living in poverty, it was hard for him to finance such an expensive trip himself.

His dream is set to come true. With funding from a war veterans’ association based in Seoul, the Ethiopian man will be invited to the above cities to witness the country’s dramatic transformation since the Korean War.

The promise came when President Lee Myung-bak accidentally visited Ayaleu’s home, while helping with disinfection of the urban slum on July 9 on the sidelines of his visit to the African nation.

Lee was ushered to Ayaleu’s home after hearing that the war veteran lived in the neighborhood.

Seven family members, including the veteran’s daughter-in-law and three grandchildren, welcomed Lee and his aides.

Also present was Park Dae-won, president of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

The family members were quoted as saying that they watch Korean dramas every day on KBS World.

During the conversation, Ayaleu said veteran colleagues had visited Busan and Incheon on a tour, but he hadn’t had such an opportunity.

The wounded 79-year-old war veteran expressed his wish to see how those cities have transformed, which was instantly accepted by Lee.

KOICA Chairman Park said that immediately after Lee’s remarks, all the family members exclaimed “Amen!”

“They were a Christian family. It was touching to see the moment,” Park said.

Ethiopia is one of the 21 countries that dispatched troops to South Korea when the nation was in a bloody conflict with the North. The African country sent approximately 6,000 soldiers.

Nearly one hundred lost their lives on the battlefields with about 400 war veterans still alive in Ethiopia.

Among 54 African nations, Ethiopia receives the largest aid from South Korea, a sign that Korea is giving back to the country that fought for freedom here.

Aid workers from KOICA have helped the poor African country rise from poverty by building schools and transferring technology that it developed through its successful agricultural revolution.

Park said he saw enormous growth potential in the African country.

“Ethiopia is endowed with rich soil and vast plains. Farmers use the plains to feed their animals, such as cows and sheep. If they use the land for crops, I think the country could transform into a home for global crop production because the soil there is so rich,” he said.

President Lee was inspired to volunteer in the shanty town after business tycoon Bill Gates recommended he do something good for the poorest people when Lee met him at the Davos Forum early this year.

Park also shared another story from Gare Arera in Oromiya State where Lee worked with KOCIA volunteers to construct a clinic on July 10.

There, Lee treated the governor of the state, Korean War veterans and South Korean participants to lunch.

Through brief remarks during lunch, the governor of Oromiya State was quoted as saying he couldn’t believe that the leader of South Korea, which is wealthy and powerful, visited the slum district to perform volunteer work.

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