91 Nurses Dispatched to Germany Visit Homeland After 60 Years; Welcome Dinner in Gumi Attended by Park Geunhye, Lee Cheolwoo and Kim Jangho

Gyeongsangbuk-do to draw up support plan for nurses
"Their contributions must be passed down to future generations"

Ninety-one Korean nurses who had been dispatched to Germany visited their homeland and came to Gumi to mark the 60th anniversary of their dispatch. A gathering was held to honor their lives, as they are credited with helping lay the foundation for South Korea's economic growth after devoting their youth to Germany in the 1960s.

More than 170 people attended the welcome dinner for the nurses, held on October 25 at the Grand Hall of Hotel Geumosan in Gumi. Attendees included former President Park Geun-hye, Gyeongbuk Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo, Gumi Mayor Kim Jang-ho, and representatives of the Korean Nurses Association in Germany.

Former President Park Geun-hye, North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo, and Gumi Mayor Kim Jang-ho attended a dinner for Korean nurses who had been dispatched to Germany and were visiting Gumi for the first time in 60 years.

The foreign currency sent home by nurses and miners dispatched to Germany helped support their families and contributed to the national economy. About 11,000 nursing personnel went to Germany between 1960 and 1976. From 1965 to 1975, nurses and miners sent a total of $101.53 million back home. In 1965-1967, the amount was equivalent to 1.6-1.9% of South Korea's total exports.

Former President Park Geun-hye paid tribute to the nurses who worked in Germany to support their families and homeland during a time of poverty. She recalled that in 1964, former President Park Chung-hee met with miners and nurses in Germany and urged them to build a prosperous country and pass on a prosperous homeland to future generations.

Park Sohyang, head of the Korean Nurses Association in Germany, spoke about South Korea's transformation into a prosperous nation and proposed inviting the nurses dispatched to Germany to programs such as a “month-long stay.”

In response, Governor Lee Cheol-woo said he would consider support measures for the nurses to stay in their hometowns for a set period and see South Korea's changes firsthand through a “month-long stay” program.

Gyeongsangbuk-do supports the nurses dispatched to Germany who attend the annual October 26 events. In 2023, the province enacted an ordinance on support for miners and nurses dispatched to Germany.

Gyeongbuk Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo said, “Today's South Korea has grown through the challenges and dedication of the generations before us. We must remember the contributions of those who worked for the country and pass on their spirit to future generations. The province will actively consider ways to welcome those who devoted their youth far from home.”

Gyeongsangbuk-do plans to draw up an implementation plan for supporting the nurses dispatched to Germany after determining details such as eligibility, duration, and the form of support.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.