On July 20, the Child Care Center Association of Yongin delivered a collection (57 boxes) of clothes, toys, shoes, dolls and everyday necessities collected from parents of the kindergarteners belonging to them for children of East Timor. The provincial office plans to hand it over to the Korean Embassy in that country for distribution to the children. 

Mrs. Choi Hye-sook, the wife of the Cultural and Public Information Committee Chairman Kim Dae-sook of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council, played a leading role in collecting the supplies, after she heard about various difficulties experienced by the people, particularly children, of the newly independent island country from her husband, who accompanied Governor Sohn Hak-kyu on their visit to that country last February as a member of the college student peace messenger group. 

The provincial office’s Pharm Bank has provided medical supplies (worth about 50 million won), dispatched a team of medical doctors twice, sent Taekwondo uniforms and training devices for the martial art (worth about 23 million won), in addition to 20 million won worth of vegetable seeds to the people of that country. 

The last country remaining divided in the 21st century was visited by the President of the country that went independent ahead of others in the 21st century. 

East Timor President Xanana Gusmao will visit Korea on August 1 to attend the opening ceremony of the Peace Festival 2005 sponsored by the provincial office as part of the events related to the 2005 Visit Gyeonggi Year. Governor Sohn Hak-kyu asked him to do so when he made a two-day visit to East Timor last February, saying that it would be meaningful for him to attend such an event held in the last country remaining divided in the global village.