The Korean community across America has censured North Korea’s provocation and the

The Korean community across America has censured North Korea’s provocation and the New York Korean community was no exception. Some Korean veterans expressed the opinion that strong immediate revenge against North Korea should be taken.

On December 2, Korean groups protested North Korean aggression in the front of the U.N. building. Included in the demonstration were representatives from the Korean Independence Day Memorial Association; the U.S Korean Veterans Association; Asian-Pacific Freedom Keeping Groups in the U.S; the Korean-American Women’s Association; the Flushing Senior Center for Cooperation; and the Korean Arts and Music Association in the U.S. The groups shouted: “Bring Kim Jeong-il before the international criminal court.” “We condemn North Korea’s attack.” “The provocative acts on Yeonpyong Island in South Korea are clearly war-like.” “Our enemy is the evil axis of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jung-il, Kim Jung-eun – three generations of this family.”

Despite the bitter cold, windy day, the demonstrators stood their ground outside the U.N. building and loudly condemned North Korea, raising their protests when the North Korean diplomat Sin Son-ho entered the building.

In Philadelphia, the Advisory Council on the Democratic & Peaceful Unification of Korea held a press conference on November 24, and issued a statement condemning North Korea and asking the government of South Korea to strongly chastise the North. The Advisory Council said in the declaration: “The provocative act upon the civilians on Yeonpyeong Island in South Korea with artillery shells was neither a simple threat nor an accidental firing, but a planned act or warlike aggression.” The Council urged that the U.N should respond quickly by investigating the criminal activity of North Korea and refer its criminal acts to the international court. The Council also asked that the Korean government further strengthen the alliance between South Korea and the United States, and strongly retaliate against the North.

In efforts to maintain democracy, the people of the Republic of Korea should put personal opinion or party politics behind them and unite in a single voice before the nations of the world.

In New Jersey, the New Jersey Korean-American Association installed a memorial for the victims on Yeonpyeong Island in a ceremony on November 26. “The incident proves that the Korean peninsula is still at war. We deeply mourn the casualties of North Korea’s provocation,” said Ju Hyang Lee, chairman of the association.
The Council of Korean Churches of Greater New York, located on Union Street in Flushing, also started a campaign to collect funds for the residents of Yeonpyeong Island. This campaign will last until December 31, and will gratefully accept all contributions from the public.

“We feel so sorry about the residents of Yeonpyeong Island who had to escape from their homes and are wandering from place to place. We cannot deny the pain and anger in our hearts about this terrible incident. Four hundred Korean churches will collect special Sunday offerings for the victims of the aggression. We have already sent letters requesting help to some churches, and we are certain that more individuals and groups will join the campaign,” said Rev. Won-ki Kim, chairman of the Council, on December 2.

By Jae-ho Yoon, The Korea Times, 3 December 2010. Translated from Korean by Sun-yong Reinish..