Announcements

The following is a message from ASK member Joo Ae Shin about a new Korean cooking class and and an opportunity to support a new social enterprise. Please read on for more.
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How do you make den jang jjigae? Kimchi cheon (kimchi pancake/pizza)? Have you sat down at a restaurant and thought, shyoot, I wish I could make this at home?
Now, as a fundraiser for the newly developing social enterprise "Little J Family" that is working to create and strengthen the relationship between adoptees and unwed mothers, adoptees will have the opportunity to take a Korean cooking class in English!!!
This will be the first of what hopes to be a regular class! For the first class we will learn to make den jang jjigae and kimchi cheon.
The class fee is 25,000 won, which includes all ingredients, eating the food, an English and Korean (for those of you who wish to study Korean cooking terms) copy of the recipes and of course a Korean cooking class in English taught by Ji Young Jang, the founder of Little J Family and a member of Miss Mamma Mia, an unwed mother's support organization. The first class is April 10th at 5:30 p.m. at KoRoot.
If you are interested in attending please RSVP to Joo Ae Shin at [email protected] by April 6th. When you RSVP please keep your promise to come as there is limited space and other people will want to attend if you cannot, and more importantly we will be purchasing the ingredients based on the number of students. Reservations are on a first come basis. All proceeds from this class will go to "Little J Family."

Welcome to 2010!
"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." - Maria Robertson
We are excited to announce that we are starting the new decade with a new direction and vision for ASK.
Come join us for a traditional Korean set menu dinner at Dulpul (들풀) near KoRoot.
This is an opportunity to meet fellow activists and adoptees that are interested in being part of the change.
We are looking for people who are interested in being part of a movement to change the practice of adoption from Korea.
There is often the misconception that the only way to be involved in a group is to be physically present at every meeting and/or event -- HOWEVER this is NOT the case!!!!

FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON REVISION OF THE SPECIAL ADOPTION LAW
Please attend if you can.
This is our last chance to make our voices heard!
WHO: Ministry of Health Welfare & Family and the Central Authority (KCARE)
WHAT: This is the final public hearing on the special adoption law.
*The government bill would impose a waiting period of 72 hours after birth followed by a court hearing before a child could be relinquished for adoption (babies can now be relinquished in the womb and there is no court hearing). But the proposed change is only for domestic adoption, meaning that the procedures for intercountry adoption could remain the same. That is why it's so important that we go to voice our opinions about this bill. We need to encourage the government to make a law that puts family preservation first, domestic adoption second and intercountry adoption last.
*English interpretation will be provided.

Public Forum on Revision of the Special Adoption Law
Please attend if you can.
Our voices need to be heard and our faces need to be shown!
Who: Ministry of Health Welfare & Family and the Central Authority (KCARE)
What: The government's task force on the special adoption law will present its proposed revisions to the law. They will also take questions so it's important we are there to give our opinions.
When: FRIDAY, Dec. 11 at 1:30-5:30pm
Where: KWDI, Bulgwang Station, Line 3 or 6, exit 2. Walk 300 meters in the direction of Gugi Tunnel and KWDI is on your left. See attachment for a map.

GIFT DRIVE FOR KOREAN UNWED MOTHERS RAISING THEIR CHILDREN
This Holiday season ASK and TRACK are excited to continue our support of the moms of Miss Mama Mia, a newly founded organization that is a support network for single moms but more importantly, it's a group of dedicated mothers working to improve and change the laws that affect single mothers in Korea.
This group was started by single mothers for single mothers and they have been supporting both ASK and TRACK in our various events and campaigns.  Therefore this holiday season we would like to return their support them through gift giving!  ^.^  We have asked them to compose a brief bio, and a list of things they need that would make their lives easier and more FUN!
Please check the list and donate an item or two if you can!  Or gather a group of friends and donate all the items to a whole family!  Or gather a group to donate a more expensive item! Below you will be able to find the bios, the items, and the estimated cost of the items on the wish list.
If you are interested in participating, in order to prevent duplicate purchases, you can check the updated list of which items have already been purchased and which items still remain at the TRACK webite: http://justicespeaking.wordpress.com
Once you have picked an item you would like to donate, please respond to [email protected] with the name of the family(child), the number corresponding to the gift and your gift drop-off method.  If possible please have the item gift wrapped.  You can arrange to give them to Joo Ae directly  in Sinchon, but you can meet her as welll.  Or you can drop gifts off at KoRoot.  Or lastly you can order gifts online and have them delivered to KoRoot. When doing this be sure to address it as:
KoRoot뿌리의집: ASK/ TRACK

Two Events on Revision of the Special Adoption Law
For the past several months, a coalition of TRACK, ASK, KoRoot, lawyers from Gong-Gam, and the unwed mothers’ group Miss Mamma Mia have been working on drafting revisions to Korea’s Special Adoption Law. These are major changes that will directly affect the adoption laws, both domestic and international. The proposed bill is sponsored by Rep. Choi Young-hee (Democratic Party), who will introduce the revisions to the National Assembly. This is the first time adoptees have had the opportunity to participate in the legislative process.
Event #1 – Community Information Session
What: TRACK & ASK will give a history and overview of the revisions. A Q&A; will follow.
Date/Time: Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 5-7pm
Location: KoRoot – Seminar room on the lower level
Directions: Gyeongbokgung Station, line No. 3, exit 2. KoRoot is a 15-minute walk from the station. You can also take Bus #1711 from the station, getting off at Kyunggi Sanggo High School. Please visit http://www.koroot.org/eindex.html for more information and a map or call 02.3210.2451.

(한국어 밑에 있습니다)
Three overseas adoptee-related organizations will host a variety of events over Adoption Day weekend, which kicks off May 8. The organizations bring a critical voice to Korea’s national Adoption Day, saying unwed mothers should be supported so they can raise their own babies -- not send them for adoption. In addition, the organizations claim international adoption is a hidden part of modern Korean history, and that both the history and the adoptees must be acknowledged by Korean society.
ASK (Adoptee Solidarity Korea) 국외 입양인 연대 www.adopteesolidarity.org
“Alternatives to Adoption: Building a Movement for Change”
“입양, 그 대안의 모색과 변화를 위한 실천”
Beginning with a press conference at 1:30 on Friday, May 8 ASK is sponsoring an afternoon symposium at the National Human Rights Commission about alternatives to intercountry (ICA) adoption with representatives from five NGOs speaking on how their work is related to ICA. Among the thought-provoking panelists are reps from the Korean Foster Care Association, the Korean Unwed Mothers Support Network, A-Ha! Sexuality Education Counseling Center, TacTeen, and the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center. The symposium is open to the public.
Date: Friday, May 8

(English follows below)
해외 입양인과 관련한 아래 3개 단체들은 입양의 날에 즈음하여 5월 8일부터 다양한 행사들을 개최할 예정이다. 이 단체들은 입양의 날을 맞아 한국의 입양 실태에 대한 비판의 목소리를 내고자 한다. 이들은 미혼모들을 지원하여 아이들을 입양 보내지 않고 직접 양육 할 수 있도록 해야 한다고 말한다. 또한, 이 단체들은 해외 입양이 근대 한국사의 숨겨진 단면인만큼, 한국 사회는 해외 입양의 역사와 해외 입양인들에 대한 바른 인식을 필요로 한다고 주장한다.
국외 입양인 연대 www.adopteesolidarity.org
“입양, 그 대안의 모색과 변화를 위한 실천”
“Alternatives to Adoption: Building a Movement for Change”
국 외입양인연대는 5월 8일 금요일 1시 반으로 예정된 언론간담회를 시작으로 국가 인권 위원회에서 오후 동안 진행될 심포지엄을 주최한다. 이 심포지엄에서는 5개의 비정부단체들이 자신들의 업무와 해외 입양이 어떻게 관련 되고 있는지를 설명하고, 해외 입양에 대한 대안을 모색하게 될 것이다. 이번 행사에는 , , 뿐만 아니라 과 의 대표자들이 참석하여 다양한 시사점을 제공하게 될 것이다. 심포지엄은 일반에게 공개된다.
일시: 5월 8일 금요일

What:  Free legal counseling for adoptees living in Korea
When:  9AM-12PM, Saturday, March 28, 2009
Where: KoRoot (http://www.koroot.org/eindex.html)
Language: English
The International Association of Korean Lawyers (IAKL; http://www.iakl.net/) is an organization of lawyers of Korean heritage or lawyers with interests in Korea from around the world.  The IAKL will start holding consultations for adoptees living in Korea free of charge monthly.  These informal gatherings have been organized to give adoptees an opportunity to ask questions about law and other related practices pertaining to adoption.  Feel free to stop by to ask a question or just to listen.  It is also hoped that these sessions will help contribute to building mutual understanding between the adoptee community and the Korean lawyers community.
This is a joint project supported by GOAL, TRACK, KoRoot and ASK.