안녕하십니까? 한국전쟁 발발 70주년 기념 2020 청소년 평화 캠프에 참가한 우리 학생들을 진심으로 환영합니다. 일주일이라는 짧은 시간이지만 뉴질랜드 학생은 물론, 참전용사들과 만남을 통해 한국전쟁의 의미를 되새기는 기회가 되시기 바랍니다. 또한 이번 캠프 참가를 계기로 한–뉴질랜드 관계의 과거와 미래에 좀 더 이해와 관심을 가져주실 것을 기대합니다. 이 자리에 뉴질랜드 참석자들도 있으므로 지금부터는 영어로 하겠습니다.
Kia Ora, Good afternoon. Distinguished guests and Korean Vision Camp 2020 participants.
Welcome to windy Wellington and to the Korea House. First, I would like to acknowledge Bernadine Mackenzie, Head of Veterans’ Affairs, and her colleagues from VA who helped arrange and organize the Korean Vision Camp 2020 here in New Zealand. Also, I extend my gratitude to Mr Donghyun Kim, Director of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs of Korea, for visiting New Zealand with 20 Korean students. Korean participants have traveled all the way from home, well over 10,000 km, to be here today. Please join me in giving them a warm round of applause.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We’re well aware that thousands of young New Zealanders volunteered to defend Korea when the Korean War broke out in 1950. New Zealand was one of the first countries to answer the international call for help. Most of them had no idea of where Korea is and how bitterly cold it can be during winter. However, they boarded war vessels in order to defend the freedom and democracy of an unheard of country in North Asia. There is a huge difference between knowing the history by book and learning it through personal engagement. I was told students will have multiple occasions to meet veterans in person throughout this programme. I hope everyone has a chance to listen from veterans on their recollections of volunteering and participating in the Korean War at your age.
70 years have passed since New Zealand War veterans had headed for Korea. But their contribution has never faded. Today, Korea and New Zealand governments, institutions and companies are cooperating more than ever across a broad range of fields, which include defence, education, agriculture and many more. Despite the geographical distance between the two countries, a close partnership was forged. This partnership is based on common values and interests that our two countries uphold such as democracy, freedom, human rights and free market that veterans fought hard to defend. They shed sweat and blood, 45 young New Zealanders devoted their lives. Without the veterans’ sacrifice and dedication, current links between Korea and New Zealand could not have been initiated. This fact reminds me of how much we owe Korean War veterans.
Korean Vision Camp provides various activities that help students to understand not only the Korean War itself but also how it has shaped ties between our two countries since. I strongly hope the memorial service at Otaki primary school, visit to Pukeahu National War Memorial and an appreciation lunch at Parliament will leave you unforgettable memories, especially these activities will be done together with your counterparts as well as Korean War veterans. And, I’m sure the friendship between Korean and Kiwi students will help strengthen the bilateral relationship of Korea and New Zealand. I sincerely hope Korean Vision Camp 2020 will be an opportunity to all of you to remember the sacrifice and contribution of Korean War veterans and to build a new friendship among our two countries’ young generation. Thank you.
