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Programs

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

  • Public Forums and Cultural Programs
  • NAKA nationial con ference (previously held in New York, Los Angeles and Washington , DC)
  • Policy analysis and recommendations
  • Organized meetings with Congressional members and/or administrative officials
  • Network and collaborate with Korean-American community and advocacy organizations
  • Partnership projects with other racial/ethnic civil rights groups
  • Resource and educational materials for Korean American community and Americans in general
  • Network with delegations and visitors from Korea


NAKA 20th Anniversary Event/Gala Dinner (Oct. 25, 2014, Tysons Corner Marriott Hotel, Tysons Corner, Virginia)

NAKA's dual purposes and activities on political empowerment of Korean Americans and promotion of peaceful settlement in the Korean Peninsula were highlighted and congratulated by distinguished guests, including Frank Jannuzi of the Mansfield Foundation and former South Korea's National Assembly member Lee Chang-Bok.



Tutzing Conference on Peace and Cooperation in Northeast Asia (May 28-30, 2013, Tutzing, Germany)

A Track II conference built on the success of the New York Conference, sponsored by the same organizations, with representatives from China, South Korea, the U.S., Germany, the European Union, and the United Nations.



New York Conference on Peace and Cooperation in Northeast Asia (March 7-9, 2012, Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, New York City)

A Track II conference, during heightened tensions in the Korean Peninsula, with government and NGO representatives from the six-party talks nations -- the U.S., China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, North Korea -- plus Mongolia and Germany. Senator John Kerry and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger made remarks. Organized by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in cooperation with the Korean Peninsula Affairs Center at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, Hanshin University, the Pacific Century Institute and NAKA.

Korea Peninsula Peace Forum (Sept. 14, 2009, U.S. Congress)

Leading representatives of South Korea's civil society organizations participated, along with key U.S. politicians and scholars, in a forum facilitated by NAKA, to share viewpoints on promoting a peaceful settlement in the Korean Peninsula.

International NGOs Conference on History and Peace (Oct. 10, 2008, Seoul, Korea)

A delegation of Korean organizations in the U.S. including NAKA presented a workshop and photo exhibition titled "Historical Reconciliation and Peace Building in Northeast Asia: Perspectives from the Korean Community in the U.S."
   

NAKA Joins the Support 121 Coalition, promoting the passage of the US House Resolution 121 regarding the WW II "comfort women" issue (Feb.-July 2007)

Voter Registration Drive at Korean American Festival (September 29, 2007, Annandale, Virgina)

The NAKA-DC chapter members participated in the Korean American Festival and collected voter registration forms, with Korean American Services Corp (KoAmCo).

Forum with Korean Women Delegation (September 18, 2007, NAKA office)

Hyun-Baek Chung, Co-Chair, Korea Women's United; Moon-Sook Lee, Secretary General, Korea Church Women's United; Kyung-Ran Chung, Director, Korea Peace Center, Korean Womens for Peace

NAKA Joins Korean-American Organizations in Washington Town Meetings (2007)

NAKA has worked with DC-based civic and grassroots organizations (Korean American Services Corp., Good Friends, Korean American Foundation) in organizing monthly town meetings with relevant issues for the Korean American community.

NAKA Joins the Support 121 Coalition, promoting the passage of the US House Resolution 121 regarding the "comfort women" issue (Feb.-July 2007)

NAKA Issues a Message on the Virginia Tech Tragedy/Killings (April 18, 2007)
   

Letter-to-Editor Published in the Washington Post (October 21, 2006)

A letter by H.K. Suh calling for the use of all diplomatic methods to resolve the standoff with North Korea peacefully following North Korea's testing of nuclear weapon was published.

Voter Registration Drive at 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.

NAKA Joins 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 and an end to deportation of immigrants.

Asian-American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration (May 24, 2006, Roslyn, Virginia)

NAKA joined Asian-American/Pacific Islander organizations in the celebration, with a poong-mool (Korean percussions) performance.

Fundraiser for Korea's Flood Victims (Augst 26, 2006, NAKA office)

Fundraising event to raise donations for flood victims in both North and South Korea.

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.

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 aet 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.

Virginia Asia Pacific Americans Candidates' Forum (September 10, Korean Central Presbyterian Church, Vienna, Virgina)

Sponsored by an alliance of 16 non-partisan Asian Pacific American (APA) organizations, to address concerns by the APA communities, such as the lack of APA representation in Virginia education system, lack of health care for many APA residents, lack of APA representation in state government, and lack of equal protection for APAs under state law at a time when the state legislature seems intent on reducing English-limited citizens' rights to state services.

Participants included Russell Potts, candidate for Virginia Governor, Leslie Byrne, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, and candidates for state Delegate offices.
   

NAKA-Washington Forum (2005, NAKA Office)

"The North Korean Nuclear Dispute and the Peace Process in the Korean Peninsula" (March 26, 2005) Speaker: Prof. Kun Young Park, Visiting Fellow, CNAPS, The Brookings Institution and Professor, The Catholic University of Korea

"South Korea Political Reform and Outlook" (April 9, 2005) Speakers: Ki Hong Yoo, Legislator in South Korea? National Assembly, member of the Uri Party; Young Soon Lee, Legislator in South Korea? National Assembly, member of the Democratic Labor Party.

"The NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) and the Nuclear Weapon Issue in the Korean Peninsula" (May 7, 2005) Speaker: Visiting delegates from South Korea representative citizen peace group, SPARK (Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea), highlighted their activities during the NPT Seventh Review Conference at the United Nations during May 2 to 27.

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.

Co-organized by The Korea Society, the National Committee for Peace in Korea and the National Association of Korean Americans.
Special Presentations by Pak Gil-yun, North Korea's Ambassador to the UN who had served as a member of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea and Chang Bok Lee, former member of the South Korea's National Assembly. Participating from the US Congress were Senator Joesph Biden of Delaware and Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA).
Presenters included Han Shik Park, Professor of International Affairs, University of Georgia; Marcus Noland, Senior Fellow, The Institute for International Economics; Jack Pritchard, Visiting Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies, The Brookings Institution; Jon Wolfsthal, Deputy Director for Non-Proliferation, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Moderators included Donald P. Gregg, President & Chairman, The Korea Society; Syngman Rhee Co-Chair, National Committee for Peace in Korea; Don Oberdorfer, Adjunct Professor, SAIS, The Johns Hopkins University.

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, with assistance from the Washington Office of the Presbyterian Church-USA and the Friends Committee on National Legislation, in conjuction to the on-going letter-writing campaign.

Korea Peace 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 at the national office of the National Association of Korean-Americans.

Korea Armistice to Peace Treaty Events: (Washington D.C. July 24th -27th , 2003)

From July 24 th to July 27 th, 2003, a series of events were staged in Washington DC by the recently formed Committee for Self-Determination and Peace, made up of some 12 Korean American community groups from across the U.S, including the National Association of Korean Americans (NAKA), with endorsements and support from numerous others, including many non-Korean organizations. From public forums to cultural events, a rally and a march, the activities formed a very public presence for the burgeoning national campaign being undertaken by the groups - the campaign to resolve the present Korean crisis - in a peaceful way - and to finally end the Korean War.

As July 27 th was the 50 th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice, and 2003 marked the centennial of Korean immigration to America, the week was seen as particularly appropriate for the events and for attracting media attention to the groups' campaign. This was the first time these twelve organizations had worked together to organize a national presence at the Capital, and the week was a networking and relation building opportunity as well as a learning experience for all those involved.
   

Korea Peace Forum (July 24th, 2003, Russell U.S. Senate Building, Washington, DC)

On July 24 th, in a well attended forum on U.S.-North Korea relations at the Russell Senate Office Building, representatives of Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-Delaware), and Senator Richard G. Lugar (R-Indiana), from the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations spoke along with South Korean and Korean American representatives on the need for direct talks between U.S. and North Korea. Reverend Keun-Soo Hong, Co-Chair of the Korean People's Solidarity, an alliance of over 200 NGOs in south Korea, spoke of the growing anti-U.S. sentiment in Korea.

Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colorado), who is one of only two current Senate members who actually served in the Korean War, came to give an impromptu talk to the forum. He said his own experience proved that no one ever truly recovers from war, and that there is a peaceful resolution to this crisis - if all are equally committed to it. Forum moderator Rev. Syngman Rhee, who, like Senator Campbell, was 19 during the Korean War and served in the south Korean Marines, spoke of his own experience as one of ten million families who have been separated from their loved ones in North Korea for almost 50 years.
   

Korean Americans and the American Political Process Conference (Oct. 22, 2000, U. S. Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing Room, Washington, DC)

President Bill Clinton's Congratulatory Remark Regarding NAKA 2000 Conference

" By being a strong and unified voice for the Korean American community and working to foster harmony in our nation, you are helping to ensure that America lives up to its promise of equality and opportunity for all our people....

"As Americans, we can be proud of our diversity. Striving together, people of different ethnicities, backgrounds, races, and religions have contributed to the success of our nation, reflecting the profound truth that this rich diversity is one of our greatest strengths....

The members and supporters of NAKA have played an important role in upholding this fine tradition, and I commend each of you for your firm commitment to civil rights and to promoting awareness and understanding of the Korean culture."

   

Panel 1: Participating in the American Political Process

This panel featured seasoned veterans of the U. S. electoral campaigns, including two elected Korean American public officials, Oregon State Senator John Lim and Washington State Senator Paul Shin. In addition, Kyle McSlarrow, Vice President of Grassroots.com, a leading grassroots technology company and Harold Pyon, a leading member of the Korean American community in Northern Virginia, shared their experiences.



Panel 2: Korean American 2000


Panel 3: US Policy Toward Korea: Changes & Challenges

This panel explored both current and future US role and policy regarding Korea in light of dramatic developments on the Korean Peninsula. Experts from both government as well as the private sector were featured. Panelists included John Merrill, Senior Analyst, U.S. Department of State, Bonnie Oh, Professor, Georgetown University, David I. Steinberg, Professor, Georgetown University, Roy Kim, Professor, Drexel University, Selig Harrison, Project Director, The Century Foundation, Dan Bob, Special Assistant for Asia-Pacific Affairs, Office of Senator William V. Roth, Jr., Moderator, Dr. IlPyoung Kim, Professor Emeritus, University of Connecticut, Storrs.