My name is Daniel. I was an English teacher in Seoul, South Korea, and am now a writer who has

published three books including South Korea: Our Story by Daniel Nardini.

                   One thing I have learned is that government to government contact does not always make

for understanding. Governments will fight and bicker and might come to some agreement or not on a range

of issues. However, in my view, people to people contact is far, far more important. The contact between

Americans and Koreans is a great and important one and has been an important one for decades. In 

America, there are many Korean immigrants communities and also many communities of Americans of

Korean descent who have made the United States their homes. I have seen this from coast to coast, and

cannot imagine an America without Koreans or Korean Americans. My wife, who is Korean, has had

many friends travel back and forth between the United States and South Korea, and some of them have

bought homes and established themselves in America. The social, political, and commercial connections

between the United States and South Korea are vast, and have been an important part of both countries for

close to a century. Koreans have created small businesses all over America. When my wife and I go into

town, we know of two Korean families who have created their own businesses, and where Korean

families live near the Mississippi River. What we hope is that regardless of who wins the May 9th

presidential election that people to people contact between the United States and the Republic of

Korea will remain as close and intimate as before.