Dan-Gun, First King of Korea
There once was a heavenly Prince who asked his father, the king to give him a beautiful peninsula to govern and the Prince would name the peninsula Korea. When the Prince came to Korea he was under a sacred tree. Here, the Prince established a city with three ministers: Rain, Cloud and Wind. These three ministers would be in charge of the official duties of this new land. Thus, the three officials controlled grain, life, death, sickness, technology and all the needs of the people. Near the tree lived a Bear and a Tiger who desperately wanted to be transformed into human beings. Every day they would pray to the Prince for their dreams to come true. Finally, one day the Prince gave them a chance to become human but they had to stay in a cave for a hundred days and only then would the Prince grant their wish. The boredom and hunger was too much for the Tiger to endure and the Tiger left the cave. However, the Bear was able to endure the boredom and hunger and shortly after the Bear was transformed into a stunning woman. She was overjoyed and very excited but nevertheless her jubilant nature soon dissipated as time went by because she badly mourned for a child. The Prince heard the cries of the woman once more and nine months later she finally gave birth to a son. He was named Dan-gun Wanggeom and became the first king of Korea.
The Korean Spirit
The story depicts the hardship, strength and what it means to be a Korean. In other words, the story highlights the uniqueness of Korea by illustrating the Korean origin by adding fascinating details. Moreover, the three ministers represent the wide range of weather conditions through the four distinct seasons on the peninsula. Also, the bear represents Korean attributes of perseverance, patience, sacrifice, and alas being rewarded for its' hard work. 2010 will usher in a new era of hardships, but just like the Bear, Korea will hold its' heads high... Fighting!
We pray:
- May Korea become first as the leading country in Asia to invest in.
- May the New Growth Engine lower the unemployment rates.
- May the National Assembly's member resolve their matters peacefully because it looks shameful to the country.
- May Korea emerge as the leader among nations in internal standardization.
- May U-Health Care become the leading way for health care nationwide.
- May each country work together and make an official plan about global warming.
- May biosciences keep advancing and emerge at the forefront as a global player.
- May everyone have equal opportunities.
- May the 6 Party talks resume peacefully for a resolution.
- And more importantly, may we pray for the children and to the government to make a powerful plan to keep our children safe.
