Honoring Early Korean Immigrants and Korean War Veterans for Their Sacrifice and Service
The Korean Chamber of Commerce of Fayetteville, NC (President Hyun-Chul Kim) hosted an appreciation banquet on November 15 at 12 p.m. at the Gate Four Golf & Country Club. The event was held to honor Korean War veterans and the first generation of Korean immigrants in the United States.
More than 250 attendees gathered for the ceremony, which was emceed by Professor Han-Kyu Lim. The program began with an opening prayer by Rev. Eun-Sik Kim, president of the Fayetteville Ministers Association, followed by Professor Jae-Yoon Kim from the University of North Carolina singing the Korean national anthem.
Mikyung Kim, Director of the Korean American Chambers of Commerce USA, introduced the distinguished guests and shared the purpose of the event. She expressed, “When I first came to Fayetteville, it was the senior immigrants who arrived before me that helped me settle in. With that gratitude, our Chamber leaders decided to host this appreciation banquet. We especially thank our main sponsor, Keith Jang Yong-jin. We hope to continue this event every year to teach younger generations the value of honoring our elders and to remember the dedication and sacrifice of Korean War veterans.”
Director Hyuk-Rye Kwon of the Fayetteville Chamber delivered a welcome message, followed by a congratulatory video message from Overseas Koreans Agency Commissioner Kyung-Hyup Kim.
Hwang Byung-Koo, President of the Korean American Chambers of Commerce USA, stated, “It is remarkable that a chamber in a smaller city was able to gather so many people for such a meaningful event. Many of the first-generation immigrants here came to the U.S. through marriages with American soldiers and played an important role in promoting Korea in their communities.”
Additional congratulatory remarks were given by CEO Keith Jang and Kim So-Hee, President of the Senior Association.
Recognition plaques were then presented to the families of Korean War veterans: Chang-Ji Kim, Jung-Ja Park, and Ui-Sik Choi. Appreciation plaques were also awarded to Chamber President Hyun-Chul Kim and Director Hyuk-Rye Kwon.
Representing the first generation, Chang-Ji Kim and Hyuk-Gyun Kwon shared personal testimonies. Mrs. Kim, the wife of a Korean War veteran, stated, “I believe the first-generation mothers gathered here today are the greatest generation. They built the foundation of our immigrant community while overcoming language barriers, cultural differences, food challenges, and discrimination.”
She added, “After following my husband to Fayetteville, I worked as an ESL teacher for 35 years and helped many Korean immigrants. I am grateful to see that perceptions of Korean War veterans have improved over the years.” The testimonies deeply resonated with the audience.
In his closing remarks, Chamber President Hyun-Chul Kim expressed, “We will not forget the hard work and sacrifices of the first generation, and we will do our part to pass down these values to the next generation. We are also deeply grateful to all the supporting organizations and businesses.”
The event was sponsored by KISS, WNB Factory, ARCO Construction, Kolping, Nature Cell, Super Beauty World, Atlanta Georgia Korean American Chamber, and the Korean American Chambers of Commerce USA.
Members prepared a heartfelt homemade meal, and the second part of the event featured a Taekwondo demonstration by Ryu Taekwondo, a musical performance by invited singer Peterfun Kim Yong-hee from Korea, and a performance by the Im Seok-geun Pumba Band. A raffle was also held, with a kimchi refrigerator among the prizes, and all attendees received a commemorative gift.
Reported by Yoseph Park.
