White House hosts first-ever Chuseok celebration

[Cheonji Ilbo Washington=Reporter Eloise Lee] — September 18

The Biden-Harris Administration honored Korean-Americans with a celebration of Chuseok, a holiday equivalent Thanksgiving in the US, for the first time ever this week. The White House honored the occasion with a special even, and a letter from the President published on social media. 

"As Korean Americans gather to give thanks for their blessings, we honor the vibrancy, culture, and contributions of their community to our country," read the statement on X, accompanied by a photo from the celebration.
 

Here is President Biden's full letter:

I extend my heartfelt greetings to everyone gathered for the first-ever Chuseok White House reception.

Chuseok is a time of celebration and commemoration, of renewal and reflection, and of promise and possibilities. Held at the height of the fall harvest, this joyful occasion brings together Korean families everywhere to give thanks for their blessings and honor the legacies of their ancestors. Rooted in more than a millennium of traditions and customs, Chuseok reminds us not only of the rich heritage of the Korean community but also of the universal bonds that unite people all around the world.

America has a heart and soul that draws from old and new. We all come from somewhere, but we're all Americans. Whether your family has been here for generations or you immigrated to the United States yourself, each of you has woven the vibrancy, culture, and contributions of the Korean community into the tapestry of our country. And I have never been more optimistic about the future of this great Nation because I have seen time and again how the course of our history has been charted by ordinary people doing extraordinary things including all of you.

Today, as you mark Chuseok by sharing food, drinks, laughter, and memories at the People's House, I am proud to send you my best wishes.

The letter was signed Joe Biden by the President's hand.