WHEREAS, Arirang is a Korean folk song, often considered as the unofficial national anthem of Korea; and

WHEREAS, In December 2012, South Korea’s submission of the song to UNESCO was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity program; and

WHEREAS, The first translation of the song’s lyrics into nine languages was performed in December 2013; and

WHEREAS, Many versions of the song feature a woman warning a man of the difficulties of crossing a mountain pass in order to dissuade him from leaving her; and

WHEREAS, “Arirang” is one name for the pass, and hence the title of the song; and

WHEREAS, Arirang Pass is an imaginary rendezvous for lovers in the land of dreams, although there is a real mountain pass, called Arirang Gogae, outside the Small East Gate of Seoul; and

WHEREAS, The heroine of the story from which the Arirang song originated was a fair maiden of Miryang. In fact, she was a modest woman killed by an unrequited lover. But as time went on, the tragic story changed to that of an unrequited lady-love who complained of her unfeeling lover. The tune is sweet and appealing; and

WHEREAS, With diligence, fortitude, and an enduring belief in the American dream, Korean immigrants have helped to turn emergent areas within the State of California into thriving and respectable communities, while raising their children to be productive Korean Americans; and

WHEREAS, Korean Americans have become an integral part of mainstream American society and have made important contributions as Californians in the fields of finance, technology, law, medicine, education, sports, media, the arts, the military, and government, as well as other areas; and

WHEREAS, As the people of California’s Korean American community prepare for the Arirang Festival, they strive to preserve and maintain pride in their own cultural heritage so that they may better contribute to the great State of California, rich with ethnic and cultural diversity; now, therefore, be it