United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/U.S. Forces Korea celebrated Independence Day by welcoming 35 new Americans during a Naturalization Ceremony at the South Post Chapel on July 4th.

UNC/CFC/USFK commander, Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti congratulated the service members and family members who made the choice to become American citizens.

“America needs you. We need your enthusiasm for liberty and justice so that you can remind each of those who were Americans by birth what a precious thing it is to live the American Dream,” Gen. Scaparrotti said during his remarks to those in attendance. “Your fellow Americans need you to help them better appreciate what makes America great.”

Hyun-Jung Hwang was one of the military spouses naturalized during the ceremony. She was born in Seoul and is excited about her new life as a US citizen. “It is really special for me to become an American on 4th of July,” she said.

The Yongsan Independence Day ceremony was just one of more than 100 ceremonies taking place around the world between June 30 and July 4, altogether welcoming more than 9,000 new U.S. citizens.

Over the last five years, more than 865 servicemembers, spouses and children have been naturalized in Korea according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. For more information on naturalization through military service, visit the U.S. CIS factsheet at: http://www.uscis.gov/news/fact-sheets/naturalization-through-military-service-fact-sheet.

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