2012 Sounds Of Friendship

(You may turn off the music with the controler provided in below)

ROK Consulate held the 2012 Sounds of Friendship and featured with Gong Myoung from South Korea Last October 11^th, 2012 at 7:00 PM at Broadway Center for Performing Arts Rialto Theater in Tacoma, WA.

Consul General Song Yong Wan welcomed to the special guests and community leaders for participate the 2012 Sounds of Friendship event.  Consul General extended special appreciation to the event organizers those of who has put the extra work and putting the collaborative efforts.  He expressed to enjoy the Gong Myoung’s exclusive performance that they are well known around the world since 1997 and traveled far from South Korea to the Pacific Northwest for the 2012 Sounds of Friendship special featured program.

Lt Governor Brad Owen made special remarks that because of Korean War veterans’ freedom and democracy, to that memorial services, he recommended to pay respect to the veterans if anyone has not been to the memorial.  If we looking back the images of the past Korean War, we can see the faces of war, which was the significant war with pain and suffer.   Because of the joint effort with U.S and South Korea and righteous UN ‘s forces to fight communist  regression,  south Korea is very prosperous nation and became the world market power and full of industrious .  Lt. Governor extended special remarks that above all of the performances, it is celebration of 130 years of friendship between Korea and the United States. 

Lt. Governor also stated that The Republic of Korea has been a close partner with the state of Washington for many, years due in no small part to our state’s proximity to the Pacific and our willingness to share in culture, education, business and friendship.  He also mentioned that Governor Christine Gregoire is just returning this week from the last trade mission of her eight years in office, which was to India and to Seoul.  She chose Korea in no small part because of the new trade opportunities that are presented with the recent passage of the U.S. South Korea Free Trade agreement, which eliminates tariffs on certain products like cherries and potatoes.

Lt. Governor Lt. Governor Honored to those who served and said that “we stand together Victory, honor and friendship and continue” and emphasized that Korea has been very important to him because of two of his boys were brought here in U.S.A from Korea. 

Lt. Governor, Brad Owen stated that 2012 Sounds of Friendship event gives us rich and meaningful culture explores.  It is a night of sharing night and friendship which is very much inspires by wonderful drum sounds like Gong Myoung drum.

 Lt. Governor extended warm wishes for South Korea with incredible opportunity and honor and a great friendship with  Washington State even further U.S.A. He has clearly said thank you in Korean “KAM SAM MIDA”.

From Left: Senator Paull Shin, Lt. Governor Brad Owen, and ROK Consul General, Song Yong Wan

Mayor of Tacoma Marilyn Strickland stated that as mayor Tacoma, born in Seoul, she was pleased to watch free trade agreement with Tacoma future that it is a great to watch that U.S and Koree have  great relationship with signing of free trade agreement  with Tacoma being port city, Washing state and Korea benefit together.  Mayor Marilyn Strickland addressed that as education committee, she always points to Korea as Korea is a great example country for education and would like to do it here, too which gives for a great future together. 

From Left: Lt. Governor Brad Owen, Senator Paull Shin, Mayor of Tacoma, Marilyn Strikerland,
Consul General Song Yong Wan, and EMCEE, KOAM TV, Vice President, Koh

Director, Chosen Few, Albert Rasmussen, member of Korea War Veterans, Association of NW chapter.   He said that his daughter, her husband, son, and his wife participated for the event.  Albert Rasmussen stated that he has been two terms for 6 years as a director Chosen few. He asked to the veterans, If any one needs help from the post-traumatic stress disorder and depression from Korean War veterans after the war, he will help.  Best things can say, talk over the problem.  He said that he has been married for 64 years.  He encouraged to get involve group who has bad dream and swats because of the post-traumatic stress disorder depression from Korean War veterans after the war. 

Director, Chosen Few, Albert Rasmussen, member of Korea War Veterans, Association of NW chapter.

Senator Paull Shin:  On behalf of Korean American Community appreciated for great hospitality and it is a wonderful reception and overwhelming.  Thanks for participating special event.

Senator Paull Shin

Director General of the Korean Cultural and information service Song Ki Kwang.  Spoken in Korean and his daughter translated into Korean and her name is Yeun Kwak, sophomore, and goes to Rainier high school.  This year marks the 130 years anniversary friendship between Korea and United State and the first year cross FTA.  In this significant year, Director General , Song Ki Kwang is  very pleased that performance to promote Korean culture is being staged in a great see in a Seattle and Tacoma which is well known place and high technology place.  Director General Song Ki Kwang hopes that Kong Myoung performance will remain in a trace memory and He appreciated to Consul General, Song Yong wan who made this special event possible also he appreciated to those of who participated this event.

Director General of the Korean Cultural and information service Song Ki Kwak.
Translator, Yeun Kwak, sophomore, Rainier high school.

EMCEE KOAM TV recognized Representative Cindy Rue and Councilmember Linda Kochmar.

From Left,  Louise Davis, Councilmember Linda Kochmar, Senator Paull Shin and Mary Walton

She also recognized Veterans and EMCEE Koh stated that Republic Of Korea would have not been here what we are today without their scarifies. MC Koh requested to give  round of applause to the veterans and their families and expressed their gratitude.

In the United States of America, the war was initially described by President Harry S. Truman as a "police action" as it was conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. Colloquially, it has been referred to in the United States as "The Forgotten War" or "The Unknown War" because of the lack of public attention it received both during and after the war.

In South Korea the war is usually referred to as "625" or the 6–2–5 Upheaval (yug-i-o dongnan), reflecting the date of its commencement on 25 June.

The United States of America provided 88% of the 341,000 international soldiers which aided South Korean forces in repelling the invasion, with twenty other countries of the United Nations offering assistance. Suffering severe casualties, within two months the defenders were pushed back to a small area in the south of the Korean Peninsula, known as the Pusan perimeter. A rapid U.N. counter-offensive then drove the North Koreans past the 38th Parallel and almost to the Yalu River, when the People's Republic of China (PRC) entered the war on the side of North Korea.

Chinese intervention forced the Southern-allied forces to retreat behind the 38th Parallel. While not directly committing forces to the conflict, the Soviet Union provided material aid to both the North Korean and Chinese armies. The active stage of the war ended on 27 July 1953, when the armistice agreement was signed. The agreement restored the border between the Koreas near the 38th Parallel and created the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a 2.5-mile (4.0 km)-wide fortified buffer zone between the two Korean nations. Minor outbreaks of fighting continue to the present day.

With both North Korea and South Korea sponsored by external powers, the Korean War was a proxy war. From a military science perspective, it combined strategies and tactics of World War I and World War II: it began with a mobile campaign of swift infantry attacks followed by air bombing raids, but became a static trench war by July 1951.

Other useful link (see more photos)

Sources: wikipedia catch4all.com, Sandra Englund, October 18th, 2012 You may click the each icons to view bigger photos in below.