(Unofficial Translation)

Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, Chair of Korea Society, 
Mr. Thomas J. Byrne, President of Korea Society, 
and Distinguished guests, warm greetings to you all.

Korea Society is a dependable bridge that connects the Republic of Korea and the United States of America. 

Since its establishment in 1957, it has not only enhanced bilateral exchanges and friendly ties between our two countries but also played a crucial role in helping the international community better understand Korea. 

I am very pleased to be able to express my gratitude at the Annual Gala Dinner today – a significant event joined by those who have made invaluable contributions to the advancement of ROK-U.S. relations. 

Although I cannot meet you all in person and have to extend my gratitude and congratulations only virtually, I believe absence made the heart grow fonder than ever before. 

Distinguished guests, 

In times of difficulty, we come to think more of our true friends.

Here with us today is Mr. Salvatore Scarlato, President of the New York Department of the Korean War Veterans Association. 
He valiantly fought with the 1st Marine Division, surviving brushes with death. 

Representative Charles B. Rangel, also a Korean War veteran, has spearheaded efforts to upgrade the ROK-U.S. alliance throughout his 46 years of service as Congressman, including by co-sponsoring the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Act. 

The Korean people consider veterans including the two heroes I just acknowledged as their true friends. 

Not even for a moment have we forgotten our friends who fought for the freedom and peace of a country they never knew or a people they never met.

The robust ROK-U.S. alliance of today has also been forged with sacrifices and dedications of veterans. 

Mr. Scarlato, Representative Rangel, 
and all of the Korean War veterans they represent, 
I want to congratulate you, together with my fellow Koreans, on your receiving the Van Fleet Award. 

Chairman Yongmaan Park who has been leading economic cooperation based on the strong spirit of alliance and staff of Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and members of BTS who have been central to promoting cultural exchanges between our two countries, congratulations on your win as well. 

Distinguished guests, 

For the past 67 years, the ROK-U.S. alliance has become stronger and more mature. 

The alliance initially forged in blood has evolved into one of peace and security, a linchpin for peace on the Korean Peninsula, and served as a dependable bulwark in securing freedom, human rights and vibrant democracy in the Republic of Korea. 

The ROK-U.S. alliance has now become an inarguably strong economic alliance as well, with the two countries having strengthened bilateral ties by expanding trade and investment and creating many more new jobs. 

The late General Van Fleet, founder of Korea Society, was proud to witness Korea’s astonishing development and once said, “Korea is my second home.” 

Together with the U.S., Korea was able to achieve what it enjoys today, 
and our two countries will accomplish so much more through our great alliance. 

Korea is preparing for the post-COVID-19 era by going digital and green in partnership with the U.S. and the rest of the world. 

Our two countries will also work together and jointly tackle and overcome the global economic crisis caused by the coronavirus.

Above all, the very foundation underpinning the ROK-U.S. alliance is close people-to-people ties and shared cultural values. 

2.5 million Koreans living in the US are proud members of American society as well as the most essential asset for promoting friendship between the two countries. 

The presence of Korean students in the U.S. that reach up to 50,000 and about 3,000 Americans studying in Korea is a herald of a more prosperous bilateral relationship to come. 

Young Koreans are communicating with the world by translating Korea’s unique sentiment into messages that have universal appeal. 

Korean culture was able to make it to the Academy Awards and Billboard Chart because our two countries have long been sharing cultural values.

Our alliance shined even in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. 

Even when Korea was bearing the brunt of COVID-19 early on, the U.S. kept its doors open for inbound travelers from Korea, trusting that Korea would effectively respond to the outbreak based on the principles of transparency, openness, and democracy.

Korea, even amid a spike in locally-transmitted infections back in April, provided diagnostic kits first to the United States. And as a gesture of friendship, we sent 2.5 million face masks to Americans, half a million of which were delivered to the Korean War veterans. 

The crisis we are facing today cannot be overcome by a single country alone. 

It is high time for the ROK-U.S. alliance to demonstrate its power once again. 

President Trump has recently invited Korea to attend the G7 Summit meeting. 

I take it as America’s call on Korea to assume responsibility and a role commensurate with its international stature based on deep mutual trust between our two countries. 

Korea will live up to these expectations and also actively join the concerted global efforts to respond to COVID-19.

The ROK-U.S. alliance is now in a new evolutionary phase with the two countries addressing not only regional but also global issues together.

By going beyond traditional security, economic, social and cultural cooperation and jointly responding to transboundary crises such as infectious diseases, terrorism and climate change, we are broadening the scope of our cooperation to form a comprehensive alliance. 

I hope that our two countries will stand at the forefront of a recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and make a new leap toward a more robust alliance. 

Distinguished guests, 

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War. 

At the UN General Assembly, I restated before the international community that the War on the Korean Peninsula must end, completely and for good. 

The end-of-war declaration will indeed pave the way for peace on the Korean Peninsula, and establishing permanent peace on the Korea Peninsula is the only genuine way to reciprocate the sacrifices and dedications of the Korean War veterans. 

There has been substantive progress made in peace process on the Korean Peninsula thanks to the inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korea summit meetings in 2018 and 2019. 
However, the talks have now stalled and we are catching our breath.

We can neither allow any backtracking on hard-earned progress nor change our destination. 

I hope that our two countries work toward the end-of-war declaration and draw active participation from the international community in this regard. 

When we not only deter war but also actively create and institutionalize peace, our alliance will be even greater. 

I would like to ask for each and every one of your support for this process so that the Korean Peninsula can finally put the history of the division behind and advance into an era of reconciliation and prosperity. 

To quote President John F. Kennedy, “peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures.” 

Korea and the U.S. will engage in close communication and coordination, thereby eliciting support and cooperation from neighboring countries and the international society. 

Moreover, our two countries will continue the efforts to build trust with North Korea, one of the parties involved, by keeping our ears, mind and heart open toward it.

I would like to thank Korea Society once again for organizing this meaningful event. 

Korea will never forget its true friends. 

I will continue our audacious journey toward peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula with all of you invited on board. 

“We go together!”

Thank you very much.