Meeting with a delegation from the "Council for Neutral Unified Korea"

 Fwd: Rencontre avec une délégation du "Council for Neutral Unified Korea" (Meeting with a delegation from the "Council for Neutral Unified Korea")

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Vana Kim Hansen

Mar 3, 2023, 2:27 AM (3 days ago)

to Okkyung, me, Yujin, Una, Insoo

   

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Always translate: French

Hi family,

I just wanted to give you a heads-up with good news about our Swiss Tour.

Our trip to Swiss is set for June 13-20, as we are granted a 1.5-hour meeting on June 16 with a Swiss parliament member focusing on Swiss-Korea relations. Many other meetings will be arranged around that meeting. I attached my communication with Mrs. Chantal Chetelat Komagata, who is championing our cause.

I have a one-way ticket to Korea on April 2, another from Seoul-Geneva, and another from Geneva-LA.

Vana

Begin forwarded message:

From: Vana Kim Hansen < vanakim777@gmail.com >

Subject: Re: Meeting with a delegation from the "Council for Neutral Unified Korea"

Date: March 2, 2023 at 7:39:59 AM PST

To: Chantal Chetelat Komagata < chkomagata@sunrise.ch >

Cc: Melanie Komagata < melkoma27@gmail.com >

Dear Chantal,

Thanks for the good news. This is our highly anticipated response from the Swiss.

We will prepare for the historic meetings with Mr. Wasserfell and others in the Swiss Parliament.

And we will look into booking airline tickets from Seoul to Geneva on June 13 and 16.

Vana K Hansen, Ed.D.

co-chair,

Council for Neutral Unified Korea

On Mar 2, 2023, at 2:25 AM, Chantal Chételat Komagata < chkomagata@sunrise.ch > wrote:

I just got an answer from the parliamentarian Wasserfallen. He can organize a meeting on June 16, 10:30 to 11:30!

sent from my Iphone

Chantal Chetelat Komagata

+41 76 400 43 85 tel & WhatsApp

Beginning of transferred message :

Of: Christian Wasserfallen < christian@wasserfallen.news >

Date: March 2, 2023 at 10:47:47 UTC+1

AT: Chantal Chetelat Komagata <chkomagata@sunrise.ch >

Object: AW: Meeting with a delegation from the "Council for Neutral Unified Korea"



Dear Madam Chetelat Komagata,

I could only arrange one other appointment:

It would be Friday, June 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Would that be possible ?

Cordially

Christian Wasserfallen

— - - — - - — - - — - - — - - —

Dipl. Masch.-Ing. FH // Nationalrat // www.wasserfallen.news // vertraulich

Will: Chantal Chetelat Komagata <chkomagata@sunrise.ch >

Date: Mittwoch, 1. March 2023 um 22:24

Year: Christian Wasserfallen < christian@wasserfallen.news >

Betreff: Re: Meeting with a delegation from the "Council for Neutral Unified Korea"

Dear National Councillor,

Even if I understand that you are in the middle of a session and that essential discussions for Switzerland are being dealt with, I allow myself to insist on receiving an answer to my request:

Could you invite the delegation to meet you for about an hour in the parliament and answer their questions relating to our model of neutrality and a strong army? Would it be possible, for example, on the last Friday afternoon of the session or just after, since they would be in Switzerland until June 20?

If this is not possible in the Federal Palace, what about in a nearby room? I will of course take care of arranging meetings with them and sending you their questions in advance.

Good evening and cordial greetings,

Chantal Chetelat Komagata

On 25 Feb. 2023 at 06:54, Chantal Chételat Komagata <chkomagata@sunrise.ch > wrote:

Dear Mr. Wasserfallen,

Thank you for your reply.

Here is what I expect from you: Could you invite the delegation to meet you for about an hour in the parliament and answer their questions relating to our model of neutrality and a strong army? Would it be possible, for example, on the last Friday afternoon of the session or just after, since they would be in Switzerland until June 20?

Our country is a model for many citizens of the world and in particular for Koreans, since Switzerland plays a special role there through the NNSC in the demilitarized zone. This delegation from the Council for a Neutral Korea will benefit from your experience and continue to encourage the two Korean governments to move forward in a peaceful and cooperative direction.

And of course, I understand that parliamentary sessions take a lot of energy and time, with heavy responsibilities, also as chairman of the Swiss-Korean parliamentary group.

I am grateful to you to see what it is possible for you to do and to tell me to what extent I can on my side facilitate this meeting.

Have a great weekend and warm regards,

Chantal Chetelat Komagata

On 24 Feb. 2023 at 17:22, Christian Wasserfallen < christian@wasserfallen.news > wrote:

Dear Madam Chetelat Komagata,

 

Thank you for your request.

In June, the session of Parliament will take place. It will be a great challenge for me to participate in this meeting. What exactly do you expect from me?

 

Cordially

Christian Wasserfallen

 

— - - — - - — - - — - - — - - —

Dipl. Masch.-Ing. FH // Nationalrat // www.wasserfallen.news // vertraulich

 

Will: Chantal Chetelat Komagata <chkomagata@sunrise.ch >

Date: Freitag, 24. February 2023 at 11:07

Year: Christian Wasserfallen < christian@wasserfallen.news >

CC: Claude Béglé < claude.begle@symbioswiss.ch >, Mélanie Komagata < melkoma27@gmail.com >

Betreff: Meeting with a delegation from the "Council for Neutral Unified Korea"

Dear National Councilor Wasserfallen,

Just before the start of the spring session, I am writing to you about the Korean peninsula. We had already exchanged messages about this in the past. Claude Béglé, who has supported numerous peace initiatives on the Korean peninsula, is in Cc.

In June, from June 6 to 13 or from June 13 to 21, depending on your availability, the Council for a Unified Neutral Korea is planning a visit to Switzerland. It will be made up of a dozen international Koreans and are particularly interested in learning more about Swiss neutrality and its military. She adds: "The Korean people will be most interested in seeing what the Swiss neutral state is doing on a day-to-day and ongoing basis to keep its permanent neutrality intact from neighboring countries". As long as you are the president of the Swiss-Korean parliamentary group, please organize a meeting in parliament with this delegation that I will be accompanying. I am convinced that this exchange will open up new horizons of cooperation and contribute, through good offices, to a peninsula at peace. Below is the explanation given to me by Ms. Vana Kim Hansen ( vanakim777@gmail.com ), residing in California, who is organizing the tour.

Since UPF is an NGO with general consultative status with ECOSOC of the UN, I also intend to organize, with the UPF and IAYSP team, a "side-event" at the UN.

Finally, my daughter, Mélanie Komagata, who has just defended her Master's thesis at the University of Geneva on "The Neutralization of Korea Based on the Swiss Model of Neutrality: A Solution for Security and Peace on the Peninsula and in Northeast Asia" will also be interested in the exchanges and the result of this meeting (also in Cc)

Message from Ms. Kim Hansen:

Our delegation is composed of international Koreans (scholars and peace activists). One highlight will be the meeting with the North Korean Ambassador to Switzerland, Han Tae-song, to engage in a dialogue about the Neutralization of the Korean Peninsula and its benefits for both North Korea and South Korea, as well as for East Asia and the whole world. Another highlight is our visit to locations that show Switzerland's strongly militarized neutral state. The Korean people will be most interested in seeing what the Swiss neutral state is doing on a day-to-day and ongoing basis to keep its permanent neutrality intact from neighboring countries.

Council for Neutral Unified Korea is a non-profit organization (NPO) authorized by the Ministry of Unification of Korea. It was established in 2001 and has been active for over twenty years. It is the center for studies about the neutralization and unification of the Korean Peninsula.

Dr. Kang Jong-il is the founder and executive director since his inception. He obtained his Ph.D. in International relations from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His doctoral dissertation was on King Gojong's declaration of neutralization (1904). He works on a shoestring budget, without an assistant, and sends monthly newsletters to 300+ mailing list members. He published dozens of articles and several books on the subject, including the history of the NPO.

I became a co-chair of the NPO three years ago as an international Korean and American citizen. I have dual citizenship and can travel freely to Pyongyang with my Canadian passport when entry to North Korea is closed to American citizens. I obtained my doctoral degree from Harvard University in Education.

My family left Korea in 1964 to be free from the country that condemned the descendants of those who moved to North Korea. My grandfather, Lee Jong-Man, went to North Korea when he lost hope for the future of South Korea going under US military rule after Japan surrendered. He was a Daedong socialist thinker and labor activist while he was the owner of the Daedong enterprise, the largest of its kind at that time. He set out to transform the agricultural sector of Joseon(Korea) in the 30s with his vision to create a nation where all who work can live well together. During the 28 years of his life in North Korea, among other things, he served as the Chairman of the United Front of DPRK and held a vision of a permanent neutral unified Korea until he died in 1977. My mother and I inherited his vision. He was awarded a medal for the unification of the fatherland and is buried in the Patriots Cemetery in Pyongyang.

I came up with the idea of ​​the Swiss Tour from the wide-open international perspective I have cultivated as a longtime (58 years) immigrant in the west. And Kang Jong-il quickly joined me. Now a number of scholars are paying attention to what we are doing. We will cap the delegation to under twelve people, including a documentarist. Korea becoming a neutral state like Switzerland is still an impossible and unreachable goal and an unrealistic dream for the Koreans. So I have been writing articles on the neutralization of Korea for a major left-leaning online newspaper in South Korea: Hanion.

I've attached the two English articles by Kang Jong-il.

Looking forward to receiving favorable news from you, I send you my most cordial greetings,

Chantal Chetelat Komagata

Secretary General UPF Switzerland

Coordinator for UPF Europe

MS El. Eng. EPFL

MA rel. Ed.UTS, USA

+41 76 400 4385 (cellular & WhatsApp)

chkomagata@sunrise.ch

eume.upf.org

Of: Chantal Komagata <chkomagata@sunrise.ch >

Date: June 10, 2021 at 08:39:17 UTC+2

AT: Christian Wasserfallen < christian@wasserfallen.news >

Object: Webinar on the Korean Peninsula with Divisionaire Gauchat: June 10, 4 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.

 

Dear National Councilor Wasserfallen,

You have already heard about the video conferences on the Korean peninsula organized by UPF. Attached is today's flyer.

You will probably be too busy in Bern, but as chairman of the Swiss-Korean parliamentary group, the series might interest you. You will find the reports of the previous conferences in these links: ILC 2021 or here . I will send you the report of this one if you are interested.

I wish you an excellent day contributing to making the right decisions for an exemplary Switzerland and send you my most cordial greetings,

Chantal Chetelat Komagata

Secretary General UPF Switzerland

Coordinator for UPF Europe

+41 76 400 4385 (cellular & WhatsApp)

chkomagata@sunrise.ch

eume.upf.org

On March 2, 2021 at 9:51 PM, Christian Wasserfallen < christian@wasserfallen.news > wrote:

Guten Tag,

 

Ich danke herzlich für die Einladung. Ich muss allerdings um diese Zeit eine digital Versammlung leiten. Bitte entschuldigen Sie mich und grüssen Sie Herrn Beglé freundlich von mir. Danke vielmals.

 

Viele Grüsse // Sincerely // Kind regards

Christian Wasserfallen

 

— - - — - - — - - — - - — - - —

Dipl. Masch.-Ing. FH // Nationalrat // www.wasserfallen.news // vertraulich

 

Will: Chantal Komagata <chkomagata@sunrise.ch >

Date: Dienstag, 2. March 2021 at 21:44

Year: Christian Wasserfallen < christian@wasserfallen.news >

Betreff: Fwd: Korean Peninsula Webinar: March 5, 2021, 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Begin forwarded message :

Of: Chantal Komagata <chkomagata@sunrise.ch >

Subject: Korean Peninsula Webinar: March 5, 2021, 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Date: March 2, 2021 at 9:39:20 PM UTC+1

AT: christian.wasserfallen@parl.ch

Mr. National Councillor,

As chairman of the Swiss-Korean parliamentary group, here is, in a series of webinars organized by the Universal Peace Federation on peace and security in North-East Asia, an event that might interest you and to which I would like invite you:

March 5, 2021, 3:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.

Registration : https://eume.upf.org/webinar-5-3-2021

What economic model would help North Korea develop while ensuring a peace process on the Korean Peninsula? 

I hope you will find the time to participate.

Great night,

Chantal Chetelat Komagata

Coordinator for UPF Europe

+41 76 400 4385 (cellular & WhatsApp)

chkomagata@sunrise.ch

eume.upf.org