U.S. Navy Reservist Lt. Man H. Watson, a Korean American adoptee, reunites with his sister 17 years after their separation, at the South Korean Army’s 2nd Operational Command in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on April 28, 2022, in this photo provided by the South Korean Army.
SEOUL, April 29 (Korea Bizwire) — A U.S. Navy reservist of Korean descent has reunited with his younger sister here 17 years after their separation, thanks to help from his fellow South Korean soldiers following an allied military training, the Army said Friday.
Lt. Man H. Watson, a Korean American adoptee, had a tearful reunion with his sister, Young Hee Watson, on Thursday, shortly after the combined South Korea-U.S. training ended its nine-day run.
In 1997, the siblings were adopted by a U.S. family. The sister returned to Korea in 2005, and the two have since been separated.
The Navy reservist came here to participate in the allies’ regular training as a liaison officer at the South Korean Army’s 2nd Operational Command in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
South Korea’s Assistant Chief of Staff of Engineering Brig. Gen. Hyun Dai-jung happened to learn of Watson’s wish to find his sister. Hyun later contacted the police station in Daegu to see if the authorities could help locate the sister.
With support from the immigration service, the police found the contact number of Watson’s sister, the Army said. Accompanied by his Korean fellow, Maj. Kim Jin-won, Watson finally reunited with his sister.
“I’m very humble and very grateful,” Watson said. “I’m so glad to see my sister and my cousin.”
Maj. Kim was quoted as saying the process of South Korean and U.S. troops working together to find Watson’s sister underscores the “spirit of the South Korea-U.S. alliance.”
(Yonhap)
