NEW TACTICS IN SOUTH KOREA: A Participant Reflects on Benefits of Asia Regional Training Workshop

Ms. Jee Hyeon Kim has worked as a grassroots activist working on women workers issues for over 9 years. She is currently the Director of Publicity & International Solidarity for Korean Women Workers Associations United. She has also worked for Korean Women’s Trade Union. In her role as a campaign coordinator she has worked directly with the media and created many successful campaigns over the years. Recently she served as chief director in organizing the international workshop entitled "Women Workers’ Initiative to Challenge against Globalization" held in June 2005.

Jee Hyeon Kim is the author of Engaging The Media: Building Support For Minimum Wage Reform, the latest tactical notebook available. She participated in the New Tactics Asia Regional Training Workshop held in August 2005, and New Tactics asked her to reflect on her experiences in the year since the training.

New Tactics (NT): How did you share your experience at the Asia Regional Training Workshop over the past year?

Jee Hyeon Kim (JHK): After the Asia Regional Training, I introduced the training tools to some organizations several times. And also I introduced some of the details of New Tactics in the newsletter of my organization.

Some were interested in the tools, especially the tactical map [a method of visualizing relationships sustaining human rights abuses]. However, most were more impressed by the whole process of the Asia Regional Workshop. For instance, the way in which New Tactics choose trainers, how to classify tactics from many movements, and how to organize the intensive workshop. Actually those who I introduced to New Tactics were activists, so they want to know how to organize such effective workshop as yours.

NT: As a trainer in your organization, what do you see as critical components of a successful training? Have any of the New Tactics materials been particularly helpful to you in addressing these critical components in your own trainings?

JHK: Usually at our trainings, we try to have all participants express themselves with their own words. It is very important because women are usually forced to be silent audiences, not to be vivid speakers. When they become speakers or actors or singers, they really enjoy their rolls and they can build up self-confidence.

So the tactic, "to make women express themselves" is really effective in leadership training.

In the Asian workshop, I learned there are many enjoyable tools to make participants express themselves and participate actively. I also introduced to my colleagues the participatory tools such as games, plays, and so on.

NT: Have you experienced any longer term benefits from the Asia Workshop?

JHK: The most benefit from the workshop was that we revalued our movement and rethought about our ways as tactics. Actually all the tactics we used in the minimum wage campaign were well-known in Korea, so we underestimated what we have done. The experiences of the workshop changed these thoughts.

NT: Have you approached your work differently since attending the Asia Workshop? If so, how?

JHK: I think I became more creative since attending the workshop. In making a new campaign, many ideas are needed and we should judge what is the strength and weakness of each idea and choose tactics. I come to separate whole plans into flexible and changeable ideas or tactics.

I think this approach can make it possible to be easy and flexible when we make long plans.

NT: Were you inspired by any of the other tactical examples shared during the Asia Workshop? If so, which ones? Have you had any opportunity to adapt any of the tactical ideas from the Workshop to address issues you have faced or are facing currently?

JHK: The example, ’training program for police on human rights’ [see ’Police Training: Opening the door for professional and community-oriented policing’] was very interesting to me. It showed what was a good policeman very clearly. I suggested the idea to show clearly ’what is something’ when we were making film of anti-sexual harassment in workplace and it was helpful.

NT: Looking back to the Asia Workshop, what did you find most useful to your everyday work?

JHK: Thinking tactically and planning tactically.

NT: Have you been in communication with any of the other Asia participants? For example, do you find the Asia Workshop Listserv at all useful in staying in touch, building collaborations, sharing and getting information about tactical ideas, or other news and resources?

JHK: Even though I did not answer the Listsev very often, it was very helpful. Especially the listserv makes it possible to continue to share with Asia participants. Sometimes I visit the website www.newtactics.org. It is also helpful to know current issues and new tactics of other countries. I had been communicating with only labor rights groups or women’s groups but it helps to share on other human rights issues.

NT: Do you have any recommendations for others who might want to use New Tactics resources?

JHK: When I read or listened to other tactical examples, I was really moved by all the passions and efforts to create movements. When you feel it, you come to understand all tactics perfectly.

NT: Where can other activists find more information about your minimum wage advocacy efforts and your other areas of work?

JHK: refer to our website www.kwwnet.org or email me sophia2 [at] kwwnet [dot] org

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