Koreans in New York greet President
Korean residents in New York wave placards in a welcoming rally to greet President Moon Jae-in at the InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel, Monday. Moon is visiting the United States for the United Nations General Assembly meeting. The placards read: “We support you till the end.” / Yonhap
By Jane Han
NEW YORK — Wearing matching customized T-shirts saying “We Love Moon,” Lee Ji-young and Kim Ji-hyun camped out in front of the InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel for almost three hours, Monday, before they had a chance to catch a glimpse of President Moon Jae-in, flanked by his entourage.
“Five friends chipped in to make this T-shirt and come here together,” said Lee, 42, a mother and an accountant. “Unfortunately, the other three couldn’t make it, so it’s just us.”
But the two were anything but lonely as they were joined by dozens of other Korean residents who showed up in front of the Midtown hotel, where the President is expected to stay during his four-day trip, for a welcome rally.
Moon is here for the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meeting and to hold talks with world leaders on dealing with North Korea’s intensifying threat.
Waving welcome signs and banners, men, women and young children gathered to express support for Moon on his second trip to the U.S. since he took office in May.
“I missed the opportunity to welcome President Moon on his first trip here, but there was no way I was going to miss it again this time,” said Kim, 41, who lives just across the bridge in New Jersey.
“I picked up my two children early from school because isn’t meeting the president more important than spending a few more hours in class?”
Similar to the Washington, D.C., crowd who gathered during Moon’s first official trip in June, Monday’s supporters also joined from states as far as Ohio and North Carolina.
“It was about a 10-hour drive,” said one participant from Ohio, who came with her husband. “We took turns driving so it wasn’t that bad. And we even got a chance to tour New York City, so it’s a win-win.”
Ahead of the upcoming U.N. meeting, Korean residents in the U.S. expressed high hopes that Moon and other world leaders will help resolve the escalating security dilemma with North Korea.
“We earnestly hope that some promising new measures will result from the crucial series of meetings in New York,” said Kim Moon-ki, an official of the Korean American Association of Greater New York.
“We could all be relaxing in the comfort of our home,” said Lee, “but we’re all out here to add a little more strength to the President of our mother country in this difficult time.”