2017 World Tour

Our Story
We all met Hannah Y Kim in different capacities, but have each witnessed her special love for Korean War Veterans and tireless efforts to keep hope alive for peace on the Korean Peninsula. She has always been passionate about reminding everyone that if it were not for the Veterans, we would not be living in a free world, living the dreams we could not have even imagined possible.

Beginning January 19, 2017, (11th anniversary of her nearly fatal car accident), Hannah is embarking on a Journey for 4 months to visit 24 of the nations that fought in the Korean War to record the stories of the remaining Veterans, who are now around 90 years old. In each country, she will visit the Korean War Memorial, hopefully with local community members to hold candlelight vigils at 7:27 p.m. – like the one in Washington, DC – linking together histories of war and hopes for peace across the nations. She will be documenting this journey and the Veterans she meets to thank, so their sacrifices will not be forgotten.

After almost 7 years working in the US Congress, as communications director and most recently as chief of staff to a legendary congressman, Hannah is taking a break from politics to fulfill the last remaining goal she had set back in 2007 when she first came to DC…after she almost died from a car accident. She vowed then she will only follow her heart. By His Grace, she was able to accomplish beyond measure.

At age 24 while in graduate school in 2008, Hannah founded Remember727, which has since hosted an annual commemoration for Korean War Armistice Day, on which the ceasefire treaty was signed in 1953. Every July 27th at 7:27 p.m., hundreds of people light candles at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC, to pay tribute to our Veterans’ sacrifices and to renew the call for peace on the Peninsula. Ultimately in 2009 Hannah successfully lobbied to pass legislation that established July 27th as the National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day in the United States.

But our dear friend is determined to do more to express gratitude for the Veterans and her bonus life.

For more background, read her essay on CNN or an article in the JoongangDaily (in Korean).

This Journey will be self-funded and supported by individuals and organizations who want to honor our Veterans and support Hannah’s efforts for peace and reconciliation. Your financial support of any amount will be greatly appreciated as she will be trekking almost 100,000 miles alone across 6 different continents. ie. $10 buys an Uber ride, $50 a train ride, $100 a vaccine, $200 a flight, $500 the traveler’s insurance!

To help Hannah locate Korean War veterans, or to connect her with your friends who can provide local support, such as a meal, rides, or interpretation, please email hkim@willkimmedia.com.

Sincerely,

Friends & Supporters of Hannah Kim, who never stops dreaming, believing and doing

Esther Praske, Jim Fisher, Will Jenkins, Jinha Park, Esther Lim, Paul Song, Kenneth Kim, Michael Yang, Peter Shin, Jason Ahn, Benjamin Lee, Alexander Kim, Suzanne Kim Doud Galli, Tim Hur, Fair Kim, Jieun Baek, Dave Kumar, Sojung Lim, David Lee, Wanda Almanzar, Justin Ahn, Ben Hur, Susan Cox, Christopher HK Lee, Thomas Kim, Silvia Patton

“Ms. Kim has been a stalwart supporter of Korean War veterans for many years. She has been at the lead and/or the ‘make it happen’ person in ceremonies in support of events honoring Korean War Veterans.  Her initiative and dedication made her a ‘go to person’ when help was need to make something happen!  Her poise, culture and loveliness enhanced every event in which she was a part or the originator!  Things would have been the lesser without her!  I have been honored to mark her as a friend!  Her intended adventure laden journey will be like stringing a necklace of pearls as she visits each country that participated in the Korean War! She has enriched my life as she will those she meets in the coming year. God grant her safe landings and no travail!”  

– Col(Ret) Bill Weber, Chairman of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation

“I have had the privilege and honor of knowing and working with Ms. Hannah Kim since 2007.  I have never met anyone who is more dedicated to thanking and honoring our Korean War Veterans and their families for their service to our country.  For almost past ten years she has devoted her time and energy to ensure the price for freedom and peace we enjoy today is not forgotten.  There could be no finer Ambassador to represent our Korean War Veterans than Ms. Kim.  She should be commended for all the lives she has touched over the years.”

– Col (Ret) James R. Fisher, National Executive Director of the Korean War Veterans Association, USA

P.S. Please let Hannah know if you would like to join her in any of the stops along her Journey. She can use some company and extra hands lugging around two suitcases!

Follow Hannah’s travel blog at Huffington Post.

Instagram: @Remember727 Twitter: @Remember727 Facebook: /Remember727

Hannah’s itinerary:

1/19 LA to Toronto, Canada
1/23 to Bogota, Colombia
1/23-25 to Cartagena, Colombia
1/30 to London, UK
2/2-3 to Scotland, UK
2/5 to St Petersburg, Russia
2/8 to Moscow, Russia
2/11 to Stockholm, Sweden
2/15 to Oslo, Norway
2/19 to Copenhagen, Denmark
2/23 to Amsterdam, Netherlands
2/27 to Brussels, Belgium
3/2 to Luxembourg, Luxembourg
3/5 to Paris, France
3/9 to Rome, Italy
3/12 to Athens, Greece
3/17 to Ankara, Turkey
3/20 to Istanbul, Turkey
3/23 to Johannesburg/Pretoria, South Africa
3/29 to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
4/2 to New Delhi, India
4/7 to Bangkok, Thailand
4/11 to Manila, Philippines
4/16 to Sydney, Australia (Easter Sunday)
4/19 to Canberra, Australia
4/21 to Melbourne, Australia
4/24 to Aukland, New Zealand (ANZAC Day 4/25)
4/27 to Tokyo, Japan (Hannah’s 34th birthday!)
5/2 to Shenyang, China
5/4 to Beijing, China
5/8 to Busan, South Korea
5/11 to Seoul, South Korea
5/19 to Los Angeles, United States

Updates 1 +over 1 year ago

Thanks to everyone’s GENEROUS support and prayers, I safely made it to Toronto on Jan. 19th and spent the most amazing 4 days in Canada and will be off to Colombia soon. I will never forget the precious memories with my Canadian Grandpas… (Please see my Facebook post about it.) Here’s an email I received from Grandpa Dave Davidson, past national president of Korea Veterans Association of Canada, who bestowed me an Honorary Membership of the KVAC!

“Hello my Beautiful Granddaughter daughter, we enjoyed visiting with you yesterday, it was wonderful, I  was glad that most veterans agreed to be interviewed. I had planned that they would sit out in the bar during interviews, but they all seemed to want to stay in the room and enjoy the comradeship.Thanks for the photos, they are great. Sometimes events are broadcast across the country and used in other newscast. Friends in Calgary have told me they have seen me on TV out there. Yesterday is a day I will always remember. Love, Grandpa Dave”

ORIGINAL PAGE LINK | Generosity.com https://www.generosity.com/volunteer-fundraising/thank-document-korean-war-vets-around-the-world

Thank & document Korean War Vets around the world!

$14,178 USD raised by 78 people in over 1 year

47% of $30,000 goal