Lee Hae Kang wrote with factual corrections to Dr. Kim's talk. His corrections follow:

"The spiritual ties between the Netherlands and Korea are amazing. God works beyond time, space and culture to fulfill His Will to bring the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. In 1628, the Dutch seaman, Jan Weltevree, was shipwrecked near Chejudo, an island southwest of the Korea peninsula. King Injo of the Lee Dynasty sent this seaman to Seoul, the capital of Korea, under suspicion of criminal activity. He was found innocent of any crimes and later became a strategist for the Korean Military Academy. He married a Korean woman, became a naturalized citizen of Korea and was given the name "Park Yon."

In 1653, another Dutch seaman named Hamel was similarly shipwrecked near Chejudo along with his 30 crewmen. Hamel was taken captive, because the Koreans were afraid that these Christians would be killed by the Japanese if handed over to the Japanese 13 years later 8 of them succeeded in escaping and returned safely to the Netherlands. On Deshima he wrote his Journal. It was published, in which he wrote about his positive experiences in that land. This publication served to introduce the "Hermit Kingdom" of Korea for the first time to the western world. For his "notorious" contribution to our nation in opening it to the West, Chejudo Island contains a "Hamel Monument"

You can find the complete Journal on http://www.henny-savenije.demon.nl/index2.htm. This Journal was translated into modern English and published on the web as well.

Lee Hae Kang

Feel free to visit http://www.henny-savenije.demon.nl/index2.htm and you can feel the thrill about the adventures of Hamel in Korea (1653-1666)

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