Welcome to BASE21

<= One of the workshops in the second labor media conference.

The 3rd Seoul International Labor Media Conference will be held from November 12th to 14th in Seoul, South Korea. It will be a whole place to share the results of their struggles and experiences using ICT. The main theme of this conference is "The Concrete Role & Capacity of Internet Media against Neo-liberalism: What are the Working Class's Strategies?" The participants will discuss how to cope with the recent rapid development of the labor communication area, and debate the broad issues related to the challenge and the potential of new communication technologies following the acclaimed Labor Media Conferences in '97 and '99.
The main title of the first labor media conference was "Labor Movement and Media : Workers, Information & Communication Technology, and Solidarity" and the main title of the second conference was "Labor Movement & New Media and Communication." In these conferences, about 30 international and 150 local activists participated and discussed ways to establish global solidarity as a whole. Peter Waterman, Steve Zeltzer, David G. Ohlenroth, Eric Lee, Lai Ngan Yin, Chris Bailey and others had participated. During discussions, the task for making International LaborNet was introduced. A preparatory member of this conference, Kim Seong-man (he is now executive officer of Korean Labor Net - NodongNet http://www.nodong.net) said, "Workers have only considered the internet as a tool of communication. The rapid development of ICT is transforming the internet into a vast media network. Workers need to recognize the space of the internet as a struggle for media itself and make vibrant and diverse alternatives for using it."
He added, "Many policy issues related to ICTs have been raised in the past two years. The domain name issue, privacy, censorship, as well as the Indymedia Center (IMC), the progressive cartoon movement and web-casting are all very good subjects for labormedia, I think."
They will reflect on people's action against Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) last year, as well as the Seattle, Quebec and Genoa struggles against Neo-Liberalism. Other subjects will also be discussed, in cluding the development and influence of ICT on these struggles, copy right, streaming server technology, and Free Speech.
The preparatory situation is facing some obstacles. According to Mr. Kim, "There are few people for this preparation. And the linguistic problem in which we have to use English only for communication with international people is somewhat difficult for us. We will do our best to organize labor groups and activists.
These problems are especially hard for rank-and-file workers. Many of them can not access and understand issues such as governance, streaming technology, and the activities of the Indymedia Center. We will prepare lectures for introducing these issues."

Base21 staff reporter, PatchA interviewed three people who belong to the preparatory team: Lee Young-keun (Managing Chairman of Korean Labor Net), Kim Myung-joon (Chairman of Korean Labor News Production) and Yasuda Yukihiro (Vice-chairman of LaborNet Nippon - Japanese Labor Net).

[Labor Media Special Interview]

Kim Myung-joon (Chairman of Korean Labor News Production) click!
Base21 staff reporter, PatchA interviewed Kim Myung-joon (Chairman of Korean Labor News Production) and heard of the recent situation of the world labor movement as well as the preparatory situation of the 3rd Labor Media Conference

Lee Yong-Keon (Managing Chairman of Korean LaborNet) click!
Base21 staff reporter, PatchA interviewed Lee Yong-Keon (Managing Chairman of Korean LaborNet) and heard the preparatory situation of the 3rd Labor Media Conference.

Yasuda Yukihiro (Vice-president of LaborNet Nippon) click!
BASE21 staff reporter PatchA met Yasuda Yukihiro (Vice-president of LaborNet Nippon). Last February 10, the inaugural meeting of Japanese Labor Net (LaborNet Nippon) was held at Hosei University in Tokyo. We will hear about the situation of LaborNet Nippon and its attempts to make international solidarity with other progressive groups. And also he says the hope from this Labor Media conference.