Third WFDA Biennial Conference

Sustaining Democratization in Asia:

Challenges of Economic and Social Justice

Seoul, Korea
16-18 September 2009

Venue: Best Western Premier Seoul Garden Hotel

 DAY ONE: SEPTEMBER 16

09:00  Opening Ceremony
Welcome Remarks from the Organizers:
Dr. Hee-Yeon Cho
         Director, Democracy and Social Movements Institute, Sungkonghoe University
Ms. Maysing Yang
         Vice President, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy
Mr. Young-pyo You
         Vice Chairman, Korea Democracy Foundation
Dr. Chee Soon Juan
         Chairman, Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia (via teleconference)

Video Presentations:
H.E. Jose Ramos-Horta
        President of the Republic of Timor-Leste
H.E. Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj
        President of Mongolia

Tribute to President Kim Dae-jung and President Corazon Aquino
Prof. Sung-jae Kim
        Director, Kim Dae-Jung Presidential Library and Museum
Representative of Senator Benigno S. Aquino, III

Opening Remarks
Dr. Young-bok Shin
        Professor of Economics, Sungkonghoe University

10:30 Break

10:45 High Level Forum:
Addressing Issues of Poverty and Inequality through Democracy
Moderator:
Dr. Wilfrido Villacorta
        Professor of Emeritus, de la Salle University;
        Former Deputy Secretary General Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Speakers:
Mr. Achin Vanaik
        Professor of international relations and global politics at Delhi University;
        Fellow at Transnational Institute
Dr. Arjun Karki
        President, Rural Reconstruction Nepal;
        Coordinator, South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication
Hon. Sanjaasuren Oyun
        Member of the Mongolian Parliament; Former Foreign Minister of Mongolia
Mr. Dongfang Han
        Founder and Director, China Labour Bulletin

12:30 Luncheon
Guests of Honor:
Amb. Chen Yeong-Cho
        Representative, Taipei Mission in Korea
Dr. Art Kaufman
        Director, World Movement for Democracy

14:00 - 18:30  Concurrent Working Groups (coffee/ tea break available between 16:00 and 16:30)
Evaluation of country situations in relevant portions of the “2007-2009 Framework for Action” and discussion of draft 2009-2011 document

A) Supporting Democratization in Closed Societies
Moderator:
Mr. Seonghoon (Anselmo) Lee
        National Human Rights Commission, Korea
Panelists:
Burma: Mr. Soe Aung
        Burma Partnership
China: Mr. Xiao Qiang 
        China Digital Times
East Turkestan: TBA
Laos: Ms. Vanida S. Thephsouvanh
         Lao Movement for Human Rights
Tibet: Mr. Tseten Norbu
         Tibet Institute
Vietnam: Dr. Vo Van Ai
         Que Me: Action for Democracy in Vietnam
North Korea: Dr. Won-woong Lee
         Kwandong University

B) Supporting Countries in Transition
Moderator:
Ms. Debbie Stothard
        ALTSEAN-Burma
Panelists:
Bangladesh: Dr. Badiul Majumdar
        Shujan: Citizens for Good Governance
Bhutan: TBA
Cambodia: Ms. Theary Seng
        Center for Justice and Reconciliation
Hong Kong: Hon. Chung-Kai Sin
         Democratic Party
Malaysia: Ms. Cynthia Gabriel
         CARAM Malaysia
Maldives: Ms. Ilham Mohamed
         Transparency International-Maldives
Nepal: Mr. Subodh Raj Pyukarel
         Informal Sector Service Center
Pakistan: Mr. Sarwar Bari
         Pattan Development Organization
Singapore: Mr. John Tan
         Singapore Democratic Party
Thailand: Mr. Somchai Homlaor
         Asian Institute for Human Rights

16:30 - 18:00 Concurrent Academic Panel 2:
Gendering Democracy: Challenges of the Women's Movement under the Neo-Conservative Regime (Organized by Department of Sociology BK21 and Institute of Sociology, Chung-Ang University)
Moderator:
Dr. Hee-Yeon Cho,
     Sungkonghoe University
Presenters:
Ms. Yeongmi Park,
      Korean Women's Associated United
      "The Crisis of Democracy and the Challenge and Task of the South Korean Women's Movement"
Ms. Kyounghee Kim
      Chung-Ang University
      "Women's Movement in the Era of Neoliberalism"
Dr. Na-Young Lee
      Chung-Ang University
      "The Need of Radical Accomodation of Gendered Sexuality:
       Focusing on the Feminist Movement against Sex Trade and Trafficking"

18:30 End of Day One

19:00 Welcome Banquet BBQ
Hosted by the Consortium of the Universities for Democracy:
Sanji University, Sungkonghoe University & Hanshin University

 DAY TWO: SEPTEMBER 17

09:00 Concurrent Thematic Panels (coffee/ tea break available between 10:30 and 11:00)
Evaluation of regional activities in relevant portions of the “2007-2009 Framework for Action” and discussion of draft 2009-2011 document

A) Regional Standard-Setting and Human Rights Mechanisms
Co-organized by Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
Moderator:
Mr. Yap Swee Seng
        FORUM-ASIA
Panelists:
Mr. Carlos Medina
         Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism
Ms. Consuelo Katrina Lopa
         Southeast Asian Committee for Advocacy
Mr. Suhas Chakma
         Asian Center for Human Rights
Mr. Rafendi Djamin
         NGO Coalition on International Human Rights Advocacy

B) Defending Civil Society through Media
Co-organized by World Movement for Democracy
Moderator:
Ms. Melinda de Jesus
       Center for Media Freedom and Responsiblity
Panelists:
Mr. Ryota Jonen
       World Movement for Democracy
Mr. Kai Ping Yong
       Malaysiakini
Ms. Rosario A. Liquicia
       Southeast Asian Press Alliance    

C) Democracy and Issues of Peace and Conflict Resolution
Co-organized by Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict
Moderator:
Ms. Teresita Quintos Deles
       International Center for Innovation, Transformation and Excellence in Governance
Panelists:
Ms. Amina Rasul
        Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy
Ms. Varsha Rajan Berry
        Focus on the Global South
Mr. Johannes Danang Widojoko
        Indonesian Corruption Watch

D) Citizen Participation and Political Accountability
Co-organized by Transparency International
Moderator:
Mr. Ran Liao
         Transparency International
Panelists:
Ms. Ilham Mohamed
       TI-Maldives
Mr. Geo-sung Kim
       TI-Korea
Mr. Tunku Abdul Aziz
       Democratic Action Party

E) Education and Inequality in Asia Democratization
Co-organized by Social Institute of Chung-Ang University and Trans of KNUA
Moderator:
Dr. Kim Soyoung
      Korea National University of Arts
Panelists:
Dr. Kuan-Hsing Chen
      Chiao-Tung University, Taiwan
Dr. Ashish Radjadhaksha
      Center for the Study of Cultural and Society, Bangalore, India
Dr. Melani Budianta
      University of Indonesia
Dr. Stephen Ching-kiu Chan
      Lingnan University, Hong Kong

11:00 Concurrent Thematic Panels (continued)

12:00 Luncheon

13:30 Plenary Session II
Democratization in Asia and the Structure and Dynamics of Socio-Economic Inequality
Moderator:
Dr. Jungok Lee
      Korea Democracy Foundation
Presentation:
Dr. Kwang-Yeong Shin
       Chung-An University
Kyung-sup Chang
       Seoul National University
Panelists:
Dr. Hee-yeon Cho
       Sungkonghoe University
Dr. Nae-young Lee
       Korea University
Dr. Dong-no Kim
       Yeonsei University
Dr. Hong Koo Kim
       Korean Institute for Southeast Asian Studies
Dr. Kyung-hee Kim
       Chung-An University
Dr. Peter Abrahamson
       Fellow, Seoul National University, previously University of Copenhagen

15:30 Break

16:00 Plenary Session III
Political Leadership of Asian Women
Moderator:
Dr. Joohee Lee
        Professor of Sociology, Chung-Ang University
Panelists:
Hon. Elizabeth Wong
         Minister of Tourism, Consumer Affairs, and the Environment,
         Selangor Executive Council
Ms. Oyungerel Tsedevdamba
       Advisor to the President of Mongolia
Hon. Tristanti Mitayani
        Asia Pacific Regional Coordinator, iKnow Politics;
        Former member of Parliament, Indonesia
Hon. Saumura Tioulong
        Member of Parliament, Cambodia
Ms. Maysing Yang
       Vice President, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy

18:00 End of Day Two

 Free Evening 

DAY THREE: SEPTEMBER 18

09:00 Keynote Address
The Relevance of the Korean Democratization Experience for Asia
Dr. Kyungseo Park 
       Distinguished Professor at Ewha Women's University Former Ambassador-at-large for Human Rights (2001-2007)

10:00 Break

10:30 Plenary Session IV
Discussion of "WFDA Framework for Action 2009-2011"
1. Presentation and Discussion of Reports of Working Groups
Presenters:
Mr. Seonghoon (Anselmo) Lee 
        National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea
Ms. Debbie Stothard 
        Altsean-Burma
Mr. Augusto N. Miclat, Jr. 
        Initiatives for International Dialogue


2. Presentation and Discussion of Reports of Thematic Panels
Presenters:
Mr. Yap Swee Seng 
        FORUM-ASIA
Ms. Melinda de Jesus 
        Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility
Ms. Teresita Quintos Deles 
        INCITEGOV
Mr. Ran Liao 
        Transparency International
Dr. Soyoung Kim 
        Korea National University of Arts

Concurrent Academic Panels:
1. Social and Cultural Resources for Democratization in Asia
Organized by the Institute for Social Development Studies, Yonsei University
Moderator:
Dr. Dong-No Kim, Yonsei University

Presenter:
Dr. Yoosik Youm
     Yonsei University
     "Unequal Distribution of Social Resources Among Koran Adolescents: Oaxaca Decomposition"
Dr. Seung Hoon Lee
     Yonsei University
     "Cultural Base of Democracy"
Dr. Sang Seok Moon
     Yonsei University
     "Participation, Identification, and Act"
Dr. Kirak Ryu
     Yonsei University
     "Korean Expatriate Labor Policy: the Politics of Selective Adoption and Exclusion"

2. States of Democracy: Oligarchic Democracies and Asian Democratization
Organized by the Democracy and Social Movements Institute of Sungkonghoe University
Moderator:
Dr. Hyojae Cho
     Sungkonghoe University
Presenters:
Dr. Hee-Yeon Cho & Dr. Jeonghoon Kim
     Sungkonghoe University
     "De-monopolization and Oligarchic Democracies in Asia"
Dr. Youngpyo Seo
     Sungkonghoe University
     "Measuring Democracies in Dilemma"
Mr. Joel F. Ariate Jr.
      Third World Studies Center
      "How Democratic is the Philippines? Previous Answers, New Parameters (tentative title)"
Discussant:
Mr. Jai Sen
      Institute for Critical Action: Center in Movement

12:30 Luncheon 

14:00 Plenary Session V
Adoption of the "WFDA Framework for Action 2009-2011" and the "Seoul Declaration"
Moderator:   
Dr. Wen-cheng Lin
      President, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy
Panelists:  
      Representatives of the WFDA Steering Committee

16:00 Transfer to Hwagaesa (Zen Buddhist Temple)

17:30 Closing Ceremony at Hwagaesa
Valedictory remarks:
Ven. Soo-Kyung
        Abbot of Hwagaesa
Votes of thanks:
Hon. Chin-fong Yeh
        Standing Supervisor, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy  
Dr. Vo Van Ai
        President, Forum Asia Democracy

18:30 Group Photo 

19:00 Dinner at Hwagaesa