Home     Contact    
  About NAKA      
  Documents    
  Programs            
  Resources          
  Links            
  Office & Chapters  
 

About NAKA?

  • WHY NAKA?
  • WHAT IS NAKA?
  • CONVENTIONS AND MAJOR EVENTS

    WHY NAKA?

    When the Los Angeles civil riots erupted in 1992, there was no national voice speaking on behalf of Korean Americans. It was apparent that a strong, effective national Korean American organization was needed to help safeguard civil rights, facilitate communication and cooperation with other racial and ethnic groups, and actively combat discrimination and racism.

    Korean American families often complain about "generation gap" caused by cultural differences. There is an acute need for the Korean American community to bring together first, 1.5, and second generation Korean Americans-providing a national forum in which All Korean Americans can work together on issues of common concern.

    Furthermore, the lives of Korean Americans are directly affected by U.S. policy towards Korea--both South and North. Peace and reunification in Korea are very important to the Korean American community. A national organization representing Korean Americans can contribute significantly to shaping an intelligent U.S policy for Korea.

    NAKA is the answer for meeting these urgent needs and challenges facing our community. Please join us in the momentous task of building a strong national organization of Korean Americans for the 21st century, working for justice, peace and friendship!

    Together, we can make a difference!

       

    NAKA President William T. Cho speaks at the Korea Peace Forum in the U.S. Senate building.
    WHAT IS NAKA?

    NAKA was founded in 1994 as a non-profit, civil and human rights organization of concerned Korean Americans. NAKA has the following objectives:
    • To help safeguard the civil rights of Korean Americans and others in the U.S.;
    • To promote cooperation and better understanding between the Korean American community and other racial/ethnic groups in the U.S.;
    • To develop Korean American culture and help articulate the shared values of Korean Americans as a community; and
    • To contribute to the peaceful, independent reunification of Korea.
    Membership in NAKA is open to all those who support NAKA's purposes and pay annual dues. NAKA's national board is elected at national membership meetings. Local chapter meetings are held in major cities.

       

    CONVENTIONS AND MAJOR EVENTS

    First
    (October 29, 1994 / New York, NY)
    NAKA Founding Convention :
    About 150 Korean-Americans participated for the convention

    Second
    (July 1, 1995/ New York, NY)
    NAKA National Convention Theme:
    The future of the Korean American's Community. Resolution adapted to urge US Congress to reject various anti-immigration Bills. (March 3, 1996) NAKA joined 18 other Asian Pacific American organizations to launch a nationwide campaign to register Asian American voters .

    Third
    (September 13,1996 / Los Angeles)
    NAKA National Convention Theme:
    Koreans in the US: Animmigrant Community in Transition. (December 5,1996) NAKA ran ads against the California proposition 209 in Korean newspapers in L.A. and SF (March 3, 1997) NAKA Joined in the International Campaign to Ban Landmines . NAKA sent a letter to the Coalition members concerning the current U.S. policy of expecting Korea from the U.S. policy ofending the use of landmines.

    Fourth
    (September 12, 1997 / New York)
    NAKA National Convention Theme:
    Unity, Leadership Empowerment.

    Fifth
    (August 1,1998 / New York, NY)
    NAKA National Convention Theme:
    Reunion of SeparatedFamilies.Resolution adapted to urge US government to help North Korea famine with Humanitarianaid and lifting of economic sanction (December 14,1998 / New York) NAKA supported a fundraising concert for children of North Korea held at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center . (March 20, 1999) NAKA supported a special forum on "Preserving Korea's DMZ for Conservation and Peace," which was held at Asia Society (February 5, 2000) NAKA released the publication, "Money Matters: Korean American Contributions to Federal Election Campaigns for 199, 1996 & 1998"

    Sixth
    (October 22,2000 / Washington, D.C.)
    NAKA National Convention Theme:
    Korean Americans and The American Political Progress. (September, 8, 2001) NAKA introduced Senator, George Allen's Resolution recognizing the historical significance of the 100th Anniversary of Korean immigration to the United States

    Korea Peace Forum
    (July 24, 2003, Russell U.S. Senate Building, Washington, DC)
    Representatives from the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations spoke along with South Korean and Korean American representatives on the current issues of US policy towards Korea.

    NAKA Forum
    (March 4, 2004, NAKA Office)
    Frank Jannuzi, East Asia specialist of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke about the peace process with North Korea.

    Korea Peace Advocacy Day
    (June 11, 2004, US Congress)
    Sponsored by the National Association of Korean Americans and the National Committee for Peace in Korea.

    Korean Peninsula Peace & Security Forum
    (July 20, 2004, U.S. Senate Dirksen Office Building, Washington, D.C.)
    A historic event that brought together legislators and representatives from the US and both North and South Korea, together in one room, to discuss ways to ensure peace and security in the Korean peninsula.

    NAKA-Washington Forum
    (NAKA Office)
    "The North Korean Nuclear Dispute and the Peace Process in the Korean Peninsula" (March 26, 2005)
    "South Korea's Political Reform and Outlook" (April 9, 2005)
    "The NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) and the Nuclear Weapon Issue in the Korean Peninsula" (May 7, 2005)

    Virginia Asia Pacific Americans Candidates' Forum
    (September 10, 2005, Korean Central Presbyterian Church, Vienna, Virgina)
    Sponsored by an alliance of 16 non-partisan Asian Pacific American (APA) organizations, including NAKA, to address concerns by the APA communities to state-wide and local election candidates.

    Public Forum: "1992 Los Angeles Riots' Significance to the Korean Community Today"
    (Aril 29, 2006, Mason District Government Center, Annadale, Virginia)
    On the 14th anniversary of the "4.29 Incident," this public event revisited the incident and discussed its ramifications today on the Korean communities in the U.S. Program included a screening of "Wet Sand," a documentary film on the 4.29 Incident and its aftermath by reknowned filmmaker Dae Sil Kim and a speech by Rev. Sang Jin Kim of the "Action for Peace Through Prayer" on "Racial Relations in the U.S. and the Future Tasks of the Korean Community."

    Korea Peace Advocacy Day in the Congress
    (May 18, 2006)
    Sponsored by the National Association of Korean Americans, National Committee for Peace in Korea, and Good Friends: Center for Peace, Human Rights and Refugees.

    Immigrant Rights March
    (September 7, 2006, Washington, DC)
    NAKA members, in conjunction with the National Capital Area Immigrant Coalition and the Tenants & Workers United, participated in the Immigrants Rally/March near US Capitol to demand rights for the immigrants.

    Korean American Festival
    (October 7, 2006, Annandale, Virgina)
    The NAKA-DC chapter members participated in the Korean American Festival and distributed voter registration forms at a booth. Also featured a poong-mool (Korean percussions) performance by the Korean-American Cultural Team, affiliated with NAKA.

    Forum with Korean Women's Delegation
    (September 18, 2007, NAKA office)
    Leaders of South Korea's women's movement and organizations spoke about the peace and reconciliation in the Korean peninsula.

    » For information on recent activities, please see the "News & Updates" section from the home page. 


       

  •