Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
Sejong City strengthens ties with Minnesota through support for Korean War veterans, adoptees
Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho, center in back row, poses with the Sejong City Government delegation and Korean War veterans at St. Paul in Minnesota, the United States, Thursday (local time). Courtesy of Sejong City Government
By Jung Da-hyun
MINNESOTA — A delegation from the Sejong City Government met with Korean War veterans at the Brit’s banquet hall in St. Paul, Minnesota, the United States, Thursday evening (local time). During the event, they discussed establishing cooperative relations between the two cities, aiming to promote and facilitate cultural activities for Korean adoptees overseas in their countries of origin.
The delegation visited Minnesota due to its significant population of Korean War veterans, numbering approximately 95,000. While smaller than California's 145,000, this figure is significant for a state with a population of under six million.
Minnesota experiences harsh winters and intense summer heat, mirroring the Korean Peninsula's climate during the Korean War. This similarity was a factor in the deployment of many young people from the state to Korea during the war.
"Thank you for helping us during the most difficult time during the war in Korean history and for supporting war orphans," said Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho during the event.
Minnesota is home to a significant number of Korean adoptees. After the Korean War, veterans started adopting war orphans, resulting in about 20,000 of the approximately 100,000 Korean children adopted by U.S. families being concentrated in Minnesota.
Ami Nafzger, left, CEO of Adoptee Hub, an organization supporting adoptees, and Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho pose after signing a memorandum of understanding at St. Paul in Minnesota, the United States, Thursday (local time). Courtesy of Sejong City Government
During the event, the city government signed a memorandum of understanding with Adoptee Hub, an adoption organization in Minnesota. The agreement aims to collaborate with Sejong to promote the Korean language and culture globally and support cultural connections for Korean adoptees overseas to their homeland.
Adoptee Hub has established a system that facilitates reunions between adoptees and their biological families through an online system referred to as the “hope registry.” The city and the organization have committed to actively cooperating in activities that promote the rights and interests of adoptees and support the psychological well-being of adoptive families.
Meanwhile, veterans who attended the event expressed that they felt grateful to see later generations thanking them for their service.
"Despite being wounded and hospitalized, I would do it all over again. I appreciate what you are doing," said Larry Dittle, a Korean War veteran who participated in Operation Chromite in 1950.