By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff

THE local Korean community held a memorial ceremony yesterday to honor compatriots who perished during World War II.
Officials of the South Korean government led by Consul General to Guam Lee Chong Il, Palau’s honorary Ambassador to Korea Yong Taek Lee as well as representatives from Daegu University headed by its president Yong Doo Lee and founder Lu Chang Woo joined the officers and members of the Korean Association of Saipan headed by its president, Jun Soo Park, and secretary general, Jonathan Joo, at the Korean War Dead Memorial Shrine in Marpi.
The event also marked the 30th year of the Korean Overseas Compatriots Foundation.
It was through the foundation that the remains of Koreans who died here during World War II were found.
The foundation was established on Aug. 15, 1977 by Yong Taek Lee.
General Consul Lee Chong Il said there were over 10,000 Koreans on Saipan and Tinian who were killed during World War II.
From 1910 to 1945, Korea was under Japanese rule and, starting in 1941, all Korean males were drafted either into the Japanese army or as workers in the Japanese military industrial sector.
Over 200,000 Korean males were inducted into the Japanese army.
Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Perry Tenorio, Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela and Asiana Airlines general manager Kwang Joong Kim joined the commemoration ceremonies yesterday.
The consul general said that over 100,000 South Koreans visit the CNMI yearly and his office on Guam is doing everything it can to promote the CNMI.
“We are satisfied with the way the CNMI government is supporting our people here on Saipan and we are doing our part by helping promote the CNMI in South Korea. We continue to encourage our people to come and visit Saipan,” the consul general said.
Over 2,000 Koreans live in the CNMI, a majority of them being investors.