President invites Korean residents of Japan to presidential office to hear their concerns
President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday hosted a reception at Cheong Wa Dae for Korean residents of Japan to mark the 80th anniversary of the Korean Residents Union in Japan, known as Mindan.
The event was held to express gratitude for the community's contributions to South Korea's development over the past eight decades and to hear directly from attendees about their concerns and suggestions.
Founded in 1946, Mindan has served as the central organization for Koreans living in Japan for 80 years. It has worked to protect the rights and interests of ethnic Koreans in Japan, carried out educational activities to pass on the Korean language and culture to younger generations, and promoted people-to-people exchanges and goodwill between the two countries.
The Korean community in Japan has supported the homeland at key turning points in South Korea's modern history. Korean student volunteers in Japan fought during the 1950-53 Korean War, and the community contributed to the development of the Guro industrial complex during the country's industrialization drive. During the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the community raised 10 billion yen ($63.3 million) in donations, and during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, it remitted approximately $1.5 billion to South Korea.
Nine of the 10 South Korean diplomatic missions in Japan occupy sites and buildings donated by the Korean community there — a testament to the community's deep affection for its homeland.
Alongside its support for South Korea, Mindan has continued to combat discrimination and hate directed at Koreans in Japan while working to improve the community's welfare and rights.
Cheong Wa Dae said the reception would serve as an opportunity to strengthen solidarity with the Korean community in Japan, and that it would also highlight Mindan's role in identity education for younger generations and in fostering cooperation between South Korea and Japan.
sang@heraldcorp.com
