Nowon District Mayor Oh Seung-rok Attends Joint Ancestral Rite for North Korean Defectors on Chuseok

On the 22nd at 6:30 PM, Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, attended the '2023 Chuseok Joint Ancestral Rite and Hometown Music Concert for North Korean Defectors' held at the Nowon-gu Office auditorium.

Nowon-gu has the largest number of North Korean defectors among Seoul's autonomous districts, totaling 999 residents. To comfort their longing for hometown and family and to provide opportunities for leisure and cultural enjoyment, the district has been organizing joint ancestral rites and various performances every Chuseok.

The event was hosted by the district and the Nowon-gu North Korean Defector Support Regional Council, in cooperation with the Seoul Northern Hana Center. Attendees included Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, Kim Jun-seong, Chairman of the Nowon-gu Council, members of the National Assembly, city and district council members, and about 100 North Korean defectors.

The program included joint ancestral rites, writing letters to hometown, the national ceremony, greetings, a performance by the Peaceful National Unification Art Troupe, letter reading, a conductor's solo, and a performance by the North-South Harmony Choir.

Mayor Oh Seung-rok stated, “This Chuseok, we prepared events for North Korean defectors to ensure that no one feels isolated or lonely and that all residents can have a happy holiday.” He added, “We will continue to actively cooperate between the public and private sectors so that North Korean defectors can accept Nowon as their new hometown and settle down.”