Hannah Kim

Hannah Kim, the Korean-American who played an important role in U.S. President Barack Obama's proclamation of July 27 as National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day and the passing of the Korean War Veterans Recognition Act last year, has established a non-profit organization to promote understanding of and disseminate lessons learned from the Korean War. It is registered in Texas, where many Korean War veterans live.

Some dozen members of the Korean War Veterans Association in the U.S. are on the board of the organization, which is named Legacy of Korean War in honor of those who died in the war and in hopes of strengthening the Korea-U.S. alliance.

"It is very difficult for schools and other organizations in the U.S. to find a Korean War veteran who can share their memories," Kim says. "I would like to help connect institutions with war veterans and contribute to systematic education about the Korean War." She also plans to make a 30-minute lesson plan to help veterans structure their talks. "I think standardizing the talk would be much more effective, like a 10-minute video, a 10 minute live account from war veterans, and then a 10-minute question and answer session," she says.

It was after a car accident in January 2006 that Kim became actively involved in the issue. Before the accident, she dreamed of becoming a diplomat, but after her miraculous survival she changed her mind. "Life is short, and I thought I have to do something more meaningful," she says.

Kim moved to the U.S. at the age of six, and grew up in California. In 2008, she set up Remember 7/27, through which she persuaded U.S. lawmakers and the administration to designate Veterans Armistice Day, when flags are now hoisted across the nation, and to pass the Veterans Recognition Act. To do so, she spent a year visiting the offices of all 435 members of the House of the Representatives. "If Korea and the Korean community in the U.S. try harder this year, which marks the 60th anniversary of the war, I'm sure the image of Korea will improve," she says.