The Korea-America Good Neighbors Society celebrated the end of the year with the annual dinner for U.S. soldiers in Korea with exemplary service records Friday.

KAGNS was founded in 2005 to strengthen relations with U.S. forces and to help U.S. military personnel to better understand Korea.

The 63 soldiers honored at the event were selected from different branches of the armed forces for outstanding service in Korea. The selected service men and women were also taken on a two-day skiing trip.

Dignitaries attending this year’s event included high ranking officers from the Korean and U.S. military including U.S. Forces Korea Commander General James Thurman and Deputy Commander of Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command Kwon Oh-sung.

In his congratulatory speech, Thurman said that the Korea-U.S. alliance was “the strongest alliance in the world,” and urged the soldiers to “continue to be great ambassadors of your country as we serve in this country.”

At the event, KAGNS chairman Lee Gyung-jae said that Korea and the U.S. have maintained a strong alliance since the Korean War, and thanked the U.S.’ efforts at preventing outbreak of war on the peninsula.

“Most Koreans are deeply thankful for the U.S.’ role in Korea’s security issues, and today’s event is also a small token of appreciation,” Lee said.

He added that the Korea-America Good Neighbors Society was one of many non-governmental organizations in Korea that aim to help members of the U.S. Forces Korea understand Korea and to maintain high morale while stationed here.

In addition to the ski tour and end-of-year party, the KAGNS sponsors a number of similar events each year including a tour of Jeju Island for members of the U.S. Seventh Air Force and Korean cookery lessons.

The KAGNS also sponsors lectures on Korean culture and history for U.S. military officers and an English learning program for Korean high school students in which students spend a week with families of U.S. officers.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)