NIU chief gives unification lecture to Korean American teachers

National Institute for Unification Education President Lee In-bae delivers a lecture at the Korean American Community Center of San Francisco and the Bay Area in San Francisco, July 22. Courtesy of National Institute for Unification Education

By Nam Hyun-woo

Lee In-bae, the president of the National Institute for Unification Education (NIU), delivered a special lecture on unification last week to Korean American teachers and members of the Korean community in the United States, according to the organization, Wednesday.

The lectures were given at the 41st general assembly of the National Association for Korean Schools (NAKS), which was held in San Francisco from July 21 to 22.

NAKS is an umbrella federation of Korean schools in the U.S. and has been carrying out educational projects including Korean language, culture, and history education for second and third-generation Korean Americans in the U.S.

Beginning this year, the association launched projects to incorporate unification education into its curriculum, as part of efforts to promote the necessity of Korea's unification among ethnic Koreans.

On July 21, Lee presented under the theme “the unification policy of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration” to Korean American teachers and others involved in the education industry. Lee lectured on the fundamental direction of unification based on constitutional values and the significance of democratic unification education.

On the following day, Lee delivered a lecture and a question-and-answer session with members of the Korean community in Northern California during a separate event at the Korean American Community Center of San Francisco and Bay Area, which was organized by five Korean associations in Northern California.

“The interest and support of overseas Koreans are very important in achieving a peaceful and democratic unification of the Korean Peninsula,” Lee said, adding the NIU will expand its role to further promote overseas unification education initiatives.

“The lectures provided attendees with valuable insights into the unification of the Korean Peninsula and the government's unification policies, and offered chances to ponder how to set the direction of their unification education,” the NIU said.

On the sidelines of the lecture, the NIU and NAKS signed a memorandum of understanding for promoting overseas unification education and developing educational materials.