Politicians speak at KORUS opening
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| Keam |
By James Moon
Local politicians welcomed the audience at the opening ceremony of the KORUS Festival in Annandale last night.
Among those who addressed the crowd were former Gov. George Allen, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova, Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross, Springfield Supervisor Pat Herrity, Rep. Gerry Connolly, state Del. Mark Keam, state Sen. Chap Peterson, Maryland state Del. Susan Lee, and Keith Fimian, who is running against Connolly.
Allen spoke out in favor of a free trade agreement between the United States and South Korea. Keam said he thought of Annandale and the Korean American community there as his “spiritual home.”
Peterson wowed the crowd with his Korean. Bulova hinted that the festival may have outgrown the K-mart parking lot this year. All the speakers practiced their “gahm sa hahm nee da” (Korean for thank you) in front of the crowd.
The free festival, to extend through Sunday evening, features entertainment, including stars from Korea, and food and other venders.
