From Guatemala to Sokcho: Young man comes to enlist in his father's homeland
When Guatemalan-born Kim Min-woo, 24, also known as Andres, suddenly appeared with his hair cut short, his father, Kim Dong-jun, 62, immediately realized what his son had decided to do. Min-woo, who had never visited Korea, had said since childhood that he wanted to “experience my father’s homeland firsthand.” The father and son looked into the enlistment procedures for dual nationals before…
When 24-year-old Kim Min-woo, also known as Andres, arrived in Korea with short hair, his 62-year-old father, Kim Dong-jun, instantly understood his son's intention. Min-woo, who had never set foot in Korea, had harbored a lifelong desire to "experience his father's homeland firsthand." The father and son delved into the enlistment requirements for dual nationals before embarking on a journey to Korea. Upon his arrival, Min-woo's first stop was Sokcho, the birthplace of his father, in Gangwon Province.
Min-woo immersed himself in his family heritage by visiting Chilseong Shipyard, where his grandfather once worked, and the neighborhood where his father spent his childhood. On September 12, Min-woo and his father paid a visit to Sokcho City Hall, where they met Mayor Lee Byung-sun. Dong-jun, who graduated from Sokcho High School a year before Lee, had been part of the same Buddhist Students Association during their school days.
Dong-jun, a former textile industry worker in Sokcho, relocated to Guatemala in the late 1980s to start a family. Min-woo is currently the youngest among his family members.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
