Members of KAAN and officials with the first national conference. First I congratulate you for the opening of the first national conference of KAAN which I believe is deeply significant. I would like to be personally attending the conference and exchanging greetings with you if I could. And, I am sorry to have to join you only through this video message. In Korea and when I visited the United States, I have often had the opportunity to meet with members of the adoptive families of Korean children. I am always moved and am grateful whenever I watch the Korean children who are growing up happily and in good health with the adoptive families.
I would like to take this opportunity to applaud and praise the Korean adoptees who have grown up into such fine young persons, brimming with courage and hope. At the same time, I am deeply grateful to the adoptive parents who have brought Korean adoptees up in a warm family atmosphere, doing their best and inspiring courage indeed, I respect you very much. Looking back, the Korean War that broke out 49 years ago caused tremendous pain for all Koreans. It placed huge trials especially on the children who wandered around amid the ruins of war, having lost their parents.
At that time, the Korean people had to send the Korean children, who had lost their parents, overseas, and most of them were adopted in the United States. Of course, they were also sent overseas for adoption because of the customs and ways of thinking which made Koreans traditionally avoid adoption. While sending more than 140,000 children for adoption, Koreans have been feeling shame and a sense of guilt. There has also been a lot of self-reflection over the fact that we could not bring up our own children ourselves.
Distinguished guests, now, having overcome past difficulties, the Korena people are making active efforts to send warm affection and assistance to adoptees and their families. We are making efforts to invite many Korean overseas adoptees and their families to visit Korea so that they can find their roots and gain pride in being Korean. We also sincerely hope that the adoptive families could from close ties with the Korean people as one family. We are all very glad to know that many adoptees and their families are living more happily than we thought. Moreover, the fact that Korean adoptees are forging splendid lives and contributing to the future of American society is a source of great pride for all Korean people. We will also be affectionate sponsors for the you, the adoptees and your families in your effort to lead a better life.
We are now ushering in an age where national boundaries are disappearing and the global village is creating one family. Taking the conditions as an opportunity for you to develop your talent and ability, I am sure you will without fail, be able to make great contributions to the development not only of American Society but also of the world. I hope that today’s conference will help step up exchanges among the adoptive families and be an opportunity for all of us to help each other. I pray for health and happiness of all the people who are attending the conference and for the development of KAAN. Thank you.