The UW Korean Library Partnership with the Korean American Historical Society (KAHS) Scans 124 Sections
The “Washington State Korean News,” which preserves the history of Korean society in Seattle, has been revived through digital operation.
The UW Korean Library and Korean American Historical Society (KAHS) has received financial support from the Overseas Korea Foundation last summer and finished scanning and saving files online of the 124 sections of the Washington State Korean News which had been published between 1973 and 2012.
Washington State Korean News said that the secretary general of KAHS, Matthew Bae, visited every former president of the Seattle – Washington State Korean Association to compile information. In addition, under the supervision of Hyo-Kyung Lee, the librarian of the UW Korean Library, the scanning and digital operation of the copies has been completed.
Matthew Bae stated that, “Jong-Sae Kwak, the former president of Seattle – Washington State Korean Association, was a great help because he was the editor of the newsletter in the beginning and was saving many of the copies.”
In 1968, the Seattle-Washington State Korean Association worked with UW international students to publish the "Hanin-Hoebo," to promote Korean society news. The digital operation of the "Hanin-Hoebo" include records from June of 1973 (image attachment) to the end of the year event, ‘Night of Arirang’ on February of 2012.
The oldest headline of "Hanin-Hoebo" was published on June 18th, 1973, advertising the event, "Seattle-Vancouver Picnic." The event on July 1st 1973 brought Koreans together from Seattle and Vancouver at 'Peace Arch Park' near the Blaine Border Crossing where they had a field day including a volleyball tournament, 100m race, and a 400m relay.
The article includes a particular request that asks, "Please prepare enough food for students living in single household," that helps the reader to be reminiscent of the Korean society in Seattle at the time.
In the following issue on October 1st, 1973, there are headlines such as the Foreign Minister Award certified to Man-Sup Han, the president of Seattle - Washington State Korean Association at the time, the opening ceremony of a KOTRA office in Seattle, and Richard G. Mattison being appointed as the honorary consul due to the absence of the Seattle Consulate General.
