On the afternoon of October 18, 2007, an ambitious new high-technology initiative was launched when Times Aerospace Korea (TAK) marked the completion of the first phase of construction of the Gimpo Aerospace Industrial Complex, just a year and four months after the groundbreaking.
Around six hundred people were at the event. As an indication of the level of expectation for what TAK will develop into, Mr. Lee Yong-sub, who heads the Korean government’s Ministry for Construction and Transportation, Mr. Kim Moon-soo, the provincial governor, and Mr. Gang Gyeong-gu, the mayor of the city of Gimpo, all gave speeches.
Within its broad vision and beginning during its first phase, TAK is taking on the role of a customer-support center for the U.S.-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation. Mr. Frank DiPasquale, Sikorsky’s vice-president for worldwide customer service, was on hand and conferred a certificate on TAK as an official customer support center for Sikorsky’s S-76 model helicopter.
In his welcoming speech, TAK CEO Joo Dong-moon said, “The Gimpo Aerospace Industrial Complex is taking its first steps, becoming a helicopter service center equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment.” Expressing the company’s vision, he continued, “From here, we will go on to help make using helicopters as a means of transportation…a part of the average person’s experience by promoting it in a variety of ways. We will also build the largest helicopter base in Asia at the Gimpo Aerospace Industrial Complex for the benefit of helicopter users. Our one-stop services will include helicopter operations, maintenance, re-modeling operations, the sale and lease of helicopters, the lease of helicopter bases, the production and development of aircraft parts, and education and training for pilots and mechanics.”
Before beginning his founder’s address (excerpts of which are on the facing page), Father asked Hyun-jin nim, who was among the True Family members at the event, to sing for the guests. Hyun-jin nim responded with “If I Can Dream” and then introduced Father. To commemorate the occasion, Father wrote a calligraphic message: “The creation of God’s homeland and the perfection of returning the hometown to Heaven.”
Following the official ceremony, guests of honor were taken on a tour of the facilities.
Excerpts from the Founder’s Address
Today, Times Aerospace Korea (TAK) is taking its first steps. It is a meaningful occasion, from which a new base will be built in Korea to launch this nation’s aviation and space industry, which will go beyond Asia and toward the world. Now that I have concluded thirty-four years of conveying God’s message outside of my homeland, Korea, and have returned home, I decided to offer a product of Western civilization as a gift to my homeland. This gift comes from one of the most advanced science- and technology-related industries.
Coming here today, I took the S-92 helicopter developed by the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation. In less than thirty minutes, I flew a distance that would have taken three hours by car. It was an experience that allowed me to feel firsthand the benefits that science and technology, in particular aviation technology, have rendered in our lives.
God blessed humanity to have dominion over creation and gave science and technology as tools for humanity. Thus, everyone has the right to utilize these tools and enjoy their benefits….
Science and technology are connected both directly and indirectly with certain harmful consequences—such as pollution, climate change, the development of weapons of mass-destruction, and warfare—that can destroy the human race.
The problem is not in science and technology themselves; rather, it lies in the mind-set of people who make use of science and technology….
The fundamental problems of society today reflect human limitations. We have all but forgotten the original value and purpose of the use and management of technology because of ignorance of or indifference to that fact that there is a spiritual and ethical aspect its application.
Indeed the struggles between religious denominations and faiths have led people to withdraw from them and to focus on the development of science and technology and other material aspects of life. The severe imbalance, discord and conflict between the material reality and spiritual reality are driving people into an unpredictable state of destruction.
True love is loving even those you cannot love, even your enemy. My investment in Pyonghwa Motors in North Korea, which was recently made known through the inter-Korean summit, is a manifestation of such true love….
The Eastern civilization gave rise to the world’s major religions while the Western civilization, centered on America, served as the hotbed for the advancement of science and technology. These two civilizations are now converging within the Pacific Rim. It is truly significant that the headquarters for TAK has been established with the cooperation of Korea and America.
God’s principles for the restoration of His original ideal, through reversing the tide of history, dictate that civilization must bear fruit in the Pacific Rim region, centered on the Korean peninsula….
We are meant to enjoy the benefits of this age. Now let us fully advance science and technology for the sake of realizing the blessing God gave to us to have dominion over creation. Let us improve the quality of life and create a world where people can live in greater affluence while making sure we do not repeat the detrimental effects of the unrestrained advancement of material civilization that we see in developed nations.
Let us all become entities of true love and evenly distribute the world’s advanced technology. Furthermore, let us bring that technology to its highest level in order to establish true peace and a source of happiness on the Korean peninsula.
With the completion of the Gimpo Aviation Industrial Complex, TAK will focus on developing helicopters using improved materials, in order to meet the public demand for the transportation of large groups of people. We will be remodeling and improving the performance of the machines to enhance the economic utility of helicopters; expanding into the fields of aviation supplies and logistics to become Asia’s largest helicopter logistic center, while opening new horizons in the helicopter industry….