Oberlin Korean Association Holds Conference
by ADRIAN LEUNG

This weekend the Oberlin Korean Students Association will host their third biennial conference, "Reunification: Empowering the Korean Diaspora."
The student-organized conference will focus on Koreans and Korean Americans, but the organizers emphasized that everyone is encouraged to attend. Co-chair and sophomore Jane Lee said, "I'd really like to emphasize that although the Korean Students Association is putting on the conference, it is not exclusively for Korean students. The societal issues to be discussed demand everyone's awarness and critical thought."
The theme of reunification in this year's conference corresponds to current events in the Korean peninsula, specifically the summit between North and South Korea last summer. However, the organizers aim for more than a political reunification. The conference's mission statement reads, "As the world focuses its attention onto the political arena of Korea, we seek to address reunification by concentrating our attention on social issues surrounding Korean nationals, Korean Americans, Korean adoptees and Koreans of various class, sexuality,and gender."
Lee said, "We are covering a wide range of topics, including the relationship between area and ethnic studies, coalition building, LGBTQ issues and sexuality, the labor movement; these are all important to non-Korean communities."
OKSA's Hewlett grants indicate the range of the conference's scope. Hewlett grants are given to groups that traditionally have not shared in programming. For the conference, OKSA landed six grants, collaborating with Abusua, Oberlin Dance Umbrella, Oberlin Film Society, Zami, Student Labor Action Coalition and Third World House.
The lack of Korean studies at Oberlin College remains a motivation for action. The mission statement reads, "Since [OKSA's foundation], students have been active through Experimental College courses, petitions and protest. In past conferences, OKSA brought may important issues to light surrounding the Korean community and culture, increasing awareness and providing a platform for education. We are continuing the struggle for representation, to eventually integrate Korean history, sociology, politics, art and literature classes into the curriculum."
Recent additions of faculty and classes specializing in Asian American studies represent the rewards of these past efforts.
Some students are particularly excited about EAST 164, Politics of Identity: Korea, 1905-1994, taught by Assistant Professor of East Asian Studies Sheila Jager.
"This class is extremely significant in a lot of ways. Personally, as a Korean American, I get to learn about the history of Korea, an opportunity that was originally denied to me at Oberlin. And politically, this is the first class in Korean Studies at Oberlin," junior Grace Han said.
Assistant Professor of history Moon-Ho Jung was astounded by the students' work. "The student organizers have put a lot of thought and effort into this conference, which will bring nationally prominent speakers on Korea and Korean America to Oberlin this weekend. I'm extremely impressed with these students' work," Jung said.
He also emphasized the conference's significance to all people, regardless of ethnicity. "While the panels will focus particularly on Koreans in the U.S. and elsewhere, they will also speak to a broader set of issues that affect everyone, such as nationalism, race, labor and sexuality. I'm especially looking forward to hearing K.W. Lee, the veteran journalist, who will address the history and future of Korean American communities. I think all of the panels will prove interesting and rewarding," he said.
Some are hopeful that the conference will foster critical thinking in the minds of attendees. Asian American Community Coordinator KT Shorb expressed hope that students come away from the conference with critical thought. "I want non-Korean students to realize that the Korean community is multifaceted and that stereotypes concerning Koreans and other Asian Americans should all be challenged. And for Koreans and Korean Americans, I want a stronger sense of community," she said.
The conference's workshops relate to the effort of other communities as well. Junior Sharon Tantoco said, "In learning about the empowerment of the KOrean diaspora, I hope to draw parallels and connections to the Filipino Diaspora. As the student liason of the unchartered group, the Filipino American Studetnts Association, attending this conference will help me set the right goals for the group and therefore assist the P-NOISE in the process of writing the charter."
After attending the last conference, Khary Polk, OC '00, is anxious to see continuing dialogues. Polk said, "I'm interested in how the conference follows up its discussion of sexuality that it began with the last conference in 1999. One of the speakers, Dredge Baker, had amazing insights of the difference in lifestyles between young Asian gay men and the majority of gay men."