Hello
Welcome to the United Koreans Association!
I am Sumin Tae - Geulah Eleanor, and I started this non-profit organization with a vision to bring Koreans across the world together, also welcoming all friends and supporters of Korea who share a genuine interest in the Korean nation, its history, and its people.
Our mission is to unite Koreans worldwide, fostering stronger ties through culture, education, business, tourism, social networking, social welfare, and daily life. What began as a personal calling has grown into a community-driven effort to connect, empower, and support Koreans everywhere.
My Story
Born from Myth.
My mother used to tell me that our grandmothers family's bloodline reached all the way back to Dangun, the legendary founder of Korea. To a child, it sounded impossible - like saying your grandfather was a king, or that your great-great-grandmother had once been a bear. But the older I've grown, the more I've realized that myths are not just stories; they are foundations, invisible roots that hold entire cultures together.
The myth of Dangun begins in the heavens. Hwanung, son of the heavenly king, descended to earth to rule over humans. Two creatures - a bear and a tiger - wished to become human. Only the bear survived the trial of surviving in a dark cave, eating nothing but garlic and mugwort for one hundred days. For her patience, she was transformed into a woman. She and Hwanung became husband and wife, and their son is Dangun, who would go on to found Ancient Chosun (Korea).
For centuries, Koreans have carried this story as the origin of their nation. It is part myth, part history, part dream. Some see it as legend, others as a poetic way of understanding where we came from. For me, it feels like inheritance - a reminder that my identity is tethered to something both sacred and wild.
Perhaps that is what it means to be born from myth. It is to belong to stories older than memory, to walk with echoes of gods, animals, and ancestors inside you. My mother may have not been a queen, but she carried a story that still makes me stand a little taller. She would always remind me never to forget that I was born of no ordinary bloodline, but of kings - of a royal family whose story began in the realm of myth.
My grandparents was descendant from different royal clans.
My grandfather was a wise and dedicated statesman - deputy minister, chairman of a local political party, journalist, and diplomat - who devoted his life to Korea's freedom and restoration. My grandmother was a courageous political activist, devoted to the cause of justice and independence. Together, they were at the heart of Korea's struggle before the war in 1950s, leaving a legacy of vision, sacrifice, and love for their nation.
My grandfather's life is a story of resilience and dedication. Born into poor family with roots in the Korean royal lineage, he carried both the weight of history and the hope of the future. Together with my grandmother, he stood at the heart of Korea's struggle for freedom, working tirelessly to help liberate the nation from Japanese occupation and to rebuild it in the years before the Korean war. Because of their unyielding fight for Korea's liberation and their refusal to bow to oppression, my grandparents became targets of persecution. Branded as enemies by those in power, they faced constant danger until they were forced to flee their homeland. Leaving behind their position, their home, and even their family roots, they carried into exile only their courage and the unbreakable dream of a free and restored Korea.
In exile, my grandfather continued his work in the newspaper and carried on his leadership within the local community, dedicating himself to helping fellow Koreans who faced the same hardship.
To me, they are not only historical figures, but beloved grandparents whose courage, faith, and love for Korea continue to guide and inspire my own path.