#76 Celebrating 234 Years of Independence

[스티븐스 대사]

Greetings, netizens.  The Fourth of July is the United States’ National Day, the date in 1776 when our Founding Fathers signed our Declaration of Independence.  And it’s also the date when most U.S. Ambassadors around the world host their biggest official reception.  It’s always a great occasion in Seoul and we celebrate it under tents set up on the grounds of Habib House, our Korean-inspired official residence.  But it’s also always a challenge, because we know rain is always a possibility at this time of year in Seoul.  This year, in fact, we held the reception on July 2^nd, and the weather was indeed damp.  But the atmosphere was cheerful as our guests shared umbrellas when the tent space got too full!

Lady Liberty and Uncle Sam made an appearance at the 234^th Independence Day Reception.  Two of our Embassy’s officers played the roles.  Don’t they look great?

Our ice sculpture managed to make it through the rain and the heat.

I presented Lim Chang Jung with a plaque of appreciation for his performance.

On this Fourth of July we wanted to mark also the 60^th anniversary of the Korean War, so I appreciated singer Lim Chang Jung’s performance at the reception; Lim Chang Jung told me his father is a Korean War veteran and that he wanted to perform in honor of his father and other veterans.  Speaker of the National Assembly Park Hee Tae added words of congratulation, and we were joined by the Ministers of Defense, Agriculture, and Health and Welfare, in addition to Korean War veterans, in cutting the cake.  

Cutting the cake

There is an inscription on the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC that reads, “Our Nation Honors Her Sons And Daughters Who Answered The Call To Defend a Country They Never Knew And A People They Never Met.”  I was reminded on this American Independence Day that, after sixty years, Korea is no longer “a country we never knew” and Koreans are no longer “a people we never met.”  We share so much.  Our relationship is broad and deep.  While we always like a good party on the 4^th of July, this year, with our Korean friends, we also remembered the sacrifices of those who built the United States of America from its start 234 years ago, and the shared sacrifices in Korea sixty years ago.  And as I looked around at the energy, talent, and friendship of our 1,200-plus guests, I thought - as I do every day in Korea - that our shared history and values will allow us to meet the global challenges of the twenty-first century together, whether it is mitigating climate change or promoting balanced, sustainable economic growth.

In honor of the U.S. Independence Day and the U.S.-Korea relationship, I proposed a toast to the guests who attended the reception.  I want to propose the same toast to my fellow netizens: To those who planted seeds of hope sixty years ago; To those in the last 60 years who have built our strong alliance; And to the next generation who will carry forward our shared vision of friendship, partnership, and a prosperous future. 

 

[ligerin]

The Ambassador is the most BEAUTIFUL. ^^

[신광준]

귀한 자리에 참석하지 못하였으나 진심으로 미국 독립 234주년을 축하합니다.

[21반딧불]

미국과 동맹국인 한국이 미국의 이탁크 전쟁파견 요청을 이핑계 저핑계로 결국 한국군(자이투 부대)의 이락크 전쟁 파견을 반대한 전국회의원중 한사람이 ... 한미양국을 상징하는 고귀한 국기에 손을.. 내미는 것은 무슨 행동일까?