The Award Recipient’s Address

　I believe, Mr. Masahide Kanayama (the Japanese Ambassador to the Republic of Korea), Mr. Kenji Harada (member of the House of Representatives), Mr. Yukio Yoshimura (member of Japan National Council of Social Welfare), Mr. Satoshi Moriyama (member of the Japan-South Korea Partnership of Missionaries), Mr. Jung-Geun Kim (Director of Korean Society in Japan), and so many other supporters who have already passed away, would all be pleased to say “Our support was a worthwhile investment.”

　I must say I have received an award of undeserved honor.
　This award was received because of the hard working efforts undertaken by those who wished for the peace of humankind and who contributed to establishing ‘Kokyo-no Ie’ (House of the Old Home: senior people’s homes).
　I would like to express my highest gratitude for their achievement.

　Peace is a high ideal. Peace is humankind’s dream.
　And peace is a foundation of people’s happiness.

　I was born in South Korea, as a son of a Korean father and a Japanese mother.
　I am passionate about social welfare and good relations between Japan and South Korea.
　I called at the Legal Affairs Bureau on my visit to South Korea the other day and I found a banner saying, ‘The Republic of Korea that develops with foreigners’.

　Many people participated in the movement to open our Korean senior people’s homes in Japan. For instance, Korean residents in Japan who have a strong recognition of our unfortunate history, and the Japanese residents who felt sympathy for the victims of the rumors in the aftermath of the Great Kanto Earthquake. These were the people that sought for amity between Japan and South Korea.

　I gained great support and understanding from my fellow Korean residents in Japan. ‘Kokoro-no Kazoku’ (Family of Hearts: a social welfare corporation) is a model public welfare institution established and developed by the citizens.

　The opening of ‘Kokyo-no Ie’ that first began with the facility in Sakai City, was followed by others in Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto. We unfortunately failed to establish subsequent branches in Tokyo which was disheartening. However, at this time we heard from Sakai City about this award. Receiving the SAKAI Peace Contribution Award encourages me to keep trying despite any setbacks. .

　Before closing, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Osami Takeyama (Mayor of Sakai City), Mr. Masaaki Ueda (Chairperson of the award screening committee) and all the committee members. I would also like to acknowledge Mr. Yeung-Fan Oh (Korean Consul General in Osaka), Mr. Mitsuharu Matsumoto (Chairperson of the Sakai City Council) as well as all the guests at the ceremony and the countless other contributors.

　Finally, I received a congratulatory message that said, “Cultural diversity is a sign of blessing and mutual respect is the way to seize love and peace. We envisage a society that highly values people that pursue these goals”.
　I wish to share this pleasure with the executives and all the staff of ‘Kokoro-no Kazoku’ and the many senior residents at ‘Kokyo-no Ie’.

　I give my solemn promise that I will continue to stand for all the people who are infirm or disadvantaged.
　Kam Sa Ham Ni Da.
　Thank you.