Asia Journal – Editor’s Note

We are happy to release the first issue of the second year of the Asia Solidarity Quarterly to the readers. To our gratitude, the Resource Center for Asian NGOs (RCAN) has promised to fund the quarterly for another year. Also, the members of the RCAN participate in editing the quarterly. There is some change concerning the editorial board of the ASQ from this issue on. Oh Yeon-ho, who had devotedly dedicated to the quarterly, quit the editorial board. Instead, four new members have joined the board; Yang Se-jin, Jang Yun-sun, Kim Sinn, and Park Yeara.

The Asia Solidarity Quarterly has been interested in the topic of migrant workers’ issue from teh second issue. Some theoretical and practical workers in Japan and Korea were also introduced. Two articles give us some important topics of discussion concerning migrant workers issues. One is Dr. Park Kyung-tae’s “Significance of the Training Programme for Migrant Workers in Korea,” which gives us a critical review of civil activities for migrant workers’ issues historically, and also suggests significance of the traning programme for activists worker for migrant workers organized jointly by the RCAN and the Joint Committee for Migrant Workers in Korea (JCMK). In the meantime, Dr. Yuko Ohara-Hirano’s paper gives us an important information about civil activities for migrant workers in Japan. She was a visiting fellow of Sungkonghoe University for three months from October 2000 to the end of 2000. While she was staying in Korea, she participated in various kinds of seminar workshop, and training programme for migrant workers. She also visited several migrant workers’ communities.

Yang Se-jin’s article, “Vision for the Outreach and Development of Civil Society,” explains us one of the most significant network of civil organisations in Korea. That is Solidarity Network. Solidarity Network was created by more than 200 civil groups in Korea, which succeeds to the activities of the Civil Action for the 2000 Genral Elections in Korea (see the first issue of the ASQ for details.) The article gives us a detailed introduction of newly created Solidarity Network by more than 200 civic groups. Lee Yi Kun’s “A Critical and Historical Review of Information Center for Labour Education” is a brief introduction of oneof the most notable organisations exclusively dedicated to labour movements in Taiwan, Province of China since the lift of the martial law in 1986. Na Hyo-woo also introduces us a significant international network, LOCOA.

Two articles are dedicated to NGO activities in Korea. One is “The 16th National Assembly: The First Year Evaluation” by Lee Kang-jun. Lee Kang-jun is an activist at the PSPD working for the National Assembly Watch. His paper explains very well concerning how the National Assembly Watch activities are organised and the result of their watch on the Korean National Assembly for the first year of the 16th National Assembly in Korea. In the meantime, Lee Tae-ho’s “Taxpayers Movement” is a detailed introduction of one of the most significant activities of the PSPD, the budget watch team.

Kim Nak-jung’s “On the June 15th South-North Joint Declaration, Peace Agreement and Disarmament” is a special contribution commemorating the first anniversary of the historic South and North Summit Meeting on the 15the of June, 2000 (see the second issue of the ASQ for details.). There is controversy on the South-North relations in Korea particularly since the summit meeting. In this respect, Kim Nak-jung’s article explains us the historical significance of the South-North Summit Meeting on the one hand. He also raises some critical evaluation of the development of the South-North relation and cooperation since the summit meeting. He provides us with a valuable opportunity to thank of the reunification of Korean peninsular.

There are two theoretical articles included in this issue. Coi Hyung-ik’s “A Political Interpretation of Modern Social Rights; Focusing on Karl Marx’s Perspective” tries to redefine modem social rights politically, which, I hope, is directly related to various issues with which all the civil movement organisation are struggling at the moment. The other one is an unfinished article by Robin Crompton, which was originally given at a lecture. However, we decided to publish this unfinished version of his lecture because he gives us a lot of intuition concerning civil movements.

For the last one year, we have published the Asia Solidarity Quarterly in order to share information, knowledge and activities of civil movement organisation in Asian countries. We also mail the copies to many civil organisations throughout the world, however, we received a few comments from our readers. The editorial board really wants to publish some comments from the readers, or readers’ opinions on civil movements. Thus please do not hesitate to contact us. All are welcome.

Thank you very much.

Jin Youngjong (young@mail.skhu.ac.kr)