By Kim Susan Se-jeong
Executive members representing Korean communities around the world gathered in Seoul Tuesday to reconnect with their homeland and other communities.
Over 400 community leaders and executives from approximately 70 different nations around the world met in the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel for the 13th World Korean Community Leaders Convention.
The event was hosted by the Overseas Koreans Foundation to give Koreans around the world, who may find themselves increasingly distant from their culture, a chance to form a solid link to their home country and to discuss the role Korean community associations can play in strengthening cultural networks.
The four-day event began with an orientation and an opening dinner, in which guests were warmly welcomed by a drumming performance and the head of Overseas Koreans Foundation Kim Kyung-keun.
“This convention will be a good opportunity to promote mutual development between international Korean societies and Korea,” said Kim, emphasizing the need for communication and unity between the representatives present. “I hope the Korean community leaders will continue to endeavor in improving the home country and the international Korean societies.”
Politicial heavyweights including Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik and ruling Saenuri Party Chairman Hwang Woo-yea were invited to join in the festivities as the guests pledged allegiance to the flag and watched as a scholarship recipient delivered a speech.
The event, which first started in 2000 with Korean communities from 47 countries and 278 participants, has been seeing a steady increase over the years up until last year, said Overseas Koreans Foundation. Last year’s convention, held in June, had approximately 500 participants from 80 participating countries.
This year, from Wednesday to Friday, guests are invited to join discussions on policies regarding overseas Koreans, the success of Korean products and culture overseas, the Korean security system and unification on the Korean Peninsula. They will also announce the best-run Korean community center in an attempt to learn from each other’s successes.
Last April, Koreans living outside of the country were eligible to vote for the parliamentary elections for the first time since the legislation went into effect in 2009. However, only about 2.5 percent of over 2 million eligible voters registered, showing the need to strengthen ties and reconnect the international Korean communities with their home country.