Sandara Park named OKA ambassador, credits PH experience
Sandara Park, a member of K-pop girl group 2NE1, has been appointed as a goodwill ambassador for the Overseas Koreans Agency (OKA).
The agency, headed by Commissioner Kim Kyung-hyup, held an appointment ceremony for Sandara, also known as Dara, on June 4 at its headquarters in Incheon, South Korea.
During the ceremony, Dara received her letter of appointment and reflected on her experience of moving to the Philippines at the age of 10.
“I went to the Philippines at the age of 10, and at first, it was very difficult and scary to have to live in a foreign country where I couldn't even communicate well,” she said.
She added, “However, I came to feel a sense of pride seeing fans who became interested in Korea through me after I achieved my dreams in the Philippines. Based on my experiences, I will strive to connect with overseas Koreans from the heart.”
Dara began her entertainment career in the Philippines as a singer and actress before making her debut as a member of 2NE1 in 2009.
In a separate post on X, Dara said she is “sincerely grateful to have been entrusted with this meaningful role.”
“Having lived in the Philippines for a long time and felt the hearts of overseas Koreans closely, this position holds even greater significance for me. I will faithfully carry out my duties to serve as a bridge connecting overseas Koreans with the Republic of Korea,” she said.
Dara is scheduled to appear in a live broadcast on OKA’s YouTube channel on June 10.
OKA is responsible for providing services and support to more than seven million overseas Koreans around the world.
Under South Korean law, an overseas Korean is defined as “a national of the Republic of Korea who obtains the right of permanent residence in a foreign country or is residing in a foreign country with a view to living permanently there.”
It also refers to “a person prescribed by the Presidential Decree of those who have held the nationality of the Republic of Korea (including Koreans who had emigrated to a foreign country before the Government of the Republic of Korea was established) or of their lineal descendants, who obtains the nationality of a foreign country,” according to a translation by the Korea Legislation Research Institute.
