Serving Korean Communication Scholars in North America: The Story So Far
The Korean American Communication Association started from a handful of Korean American communication scholars in 1978, and has grown into the backbone of communication scholarship activities related to Korea, for promoting research as well as friendships in the academic society among its members and beyond.
KACA: the First 40 Years
- Celebrating 40 years of Korean American Communication Scholarship.
- By Dr Hye-ryeon Lee (published in Asian Communication Research Vol.14 No.2). Comprehensive essay on the first 40 years of KACA.
- KACA at 40: special page
- [Video archive from the 40-year special session coming soon]
- This is the “first draft of history” of KACA, ranging from its beginnings to the present. It is a valuable source for exploring how KACA has progressed over the years. Some highlights include:
- KACA 30th Anniversary Special Issue (Summer 2008): reflections on KACA by members from various times.
- Classifieds (Spring 2000): occasionally, relevant job postings were shared. The Korean Broadcasting Institute was one of those.
- Invited essays (January 1987): recognizing the need for mentorship, the newsletter started publishing essays on working in the profession.
- Taking shape (Summer 1979): an early example on how KACA focused its mission on sharing news about professional achievements and organizing efforts for academic activities.
The First Bylaws (August 1979)
- This is the first constitutional article of KACA, ratified in 1979. Although the activities and the list of officers have massively grown, the core mission and principles have remained sturdy until the present (last amended in 2011).
- This is the list of the dedicated people who have put their efforts to further the missions of KACA in official positions over its course.
- This is the non-exhaustive list of communication researches recognized in past conference sessions officially supported by KACA. It is a valuable historical resource on how research topics on Korean American communication phenomena have been changing and remained steady over the years.
A Brief Timeline of KACA
| Aug 1978 | Founded with the name, North American Association of Korean Communication Scholars. |
| Fall 1978 | The first newsletter was published in Korean. |
| July 1979 | Renamed as the Korean American Communication Association. |
| Aug 1979 | Bylaws of the Korean American Communication Association were created. |
| Aug 1980 | Held the first Korean-American Joint Conference on Communication in Korea in collaboration with the Korean Society for Journalism and Communication Studies. |
| July 1982 | Held the second Korean-American Joint Conference on Communication in Athens, Ohio in collaboration with the Korean Society for Journalism and Communication Studies. The conference was held as an official program of the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Aug 1984 | Held the third Korean-American Joint Conference on Communication in Korea in collaboration with the Korean Society for Journalism and Communication Studies. |
| May 1985 | Held the fourth Korean-American Joint Conference on Communication in Hawaii in collaboration with the Korean Society for Journalism and Communication Studies. The conference was held as an official program of the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| May 1986 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association in Chicago, at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| Aug 1987 | Held the fifth Korean-American Joint Conference on Communication in Yangpyong in collaboration with the Korean Society for Journalism and Communication Studies. |
| May 1995 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association in Albuquerque at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| May 1996 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association in Chicago, at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| Aug 1996 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in Anaheim, California at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication in collaboration with the Chinese Communication Association. |
| Aug 1996 | Became an official affiliate of the Korean Society for Journalism and Communication Studies, and held an official session. |
| Nov 1996 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association in San Diego at the annual convention of the Speech Communication Association in collaboration with Asian-Pacific Caucus. |
| Nov 1996 | Became an official affiliate of the National Communication Association (formerly Speech Communication Association), and held an official session. |
| President Kang submitted a proposal nominating Seoul as the site for the 2002 ICA convention at the annual Business Meeting during 1996 NCA. | |
| May 1997 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association in Montreal at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| The ICA Executive Committee announced that Seoul was chosen as the site for 2002 ICA convention at the Annual Business Meeting. | |
| Aug 1997 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association in Chicago at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov 1997 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association at the annual convention of the National Communication Association (formerly Speech Communication Association). |
| July 1998 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association in at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| Aug. 1998 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov 1998 | Held two panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in New York at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 1999 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association in San Francisco at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| May 1999 | KACA Bylaws are amended. |
| Aug 1999 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in Baltimore at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication in collaboration with the Chinese Communication Association. |
| Nov 1999 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| June 2000 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| Aug. 2000 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in Phoenix at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2000 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in Seattle at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2001 | Held three panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Washington D.C. at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| President Min (Rhode Island) and Dr. Jaewon Lee (Cleveland State) were appointed as members of Planning Committee of 2002 Seoul ICA. | |
| Aug. 2001 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in Washington D.C. at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2001 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in Atlanta at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| July 2002 | Held three panel sessions of Korean American Communication Association in Seoul, Korea at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. KACA was recognized as a co-sponsor of the convention in the opening statement and the program. |
| Aug. 2002 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2002 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2003 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in San Diego at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| Aug. 2003 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2003 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2004 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in New Orleans at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| Aug. 2004 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2004 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2005 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association in New York at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| Aug. 2005 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in San Antonio at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2005 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in Boston at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| June 2006 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association in Dresden, Germany at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| August 2006 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in San Francisco at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2006 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in San Antonio at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2007 | Held an official program of the Korean American Communication Association in San Francisco at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| August 2007 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in Washington D.C. at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2007 | Held a panel session of the Korean American Communication Association in Chicago at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2008 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Quebec, Canada at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| August 2008 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Chicago at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communicationn. |
| Nov. 2008 | Held paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in San Diego at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2009 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Chicago at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| August 2009 | Dr. Nojin Kwak newly elected as the president of the Korean American Communication Association for a two-year term |
| August 2009 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Boston at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2009 | Held paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Chicago at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2010 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Singapore at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| August 2010 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Denver at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2010 | Held paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in San Francisco at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2011 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Boston at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| August 2011 | Dr. Sei-Hill Kim elected as the president of the Korean American Communication Association for a two-year term.
Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in St. Louis at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2011 | Held paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in New Orleans at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2012 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Phoenix at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| August 2012 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Chicago at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2012 | Held paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Orlando at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2013 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in London at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| August 2013 | Dr. Seok Kang elected as the president of the Korean American Communication Association for a two-year term.
Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in DC at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2013 | Held paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in DC at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2014 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Seattle at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| August 2014 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Montreal at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov. 2014 | Held paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Chicago at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2015 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Puerto Rico at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| August 2015 | Dr. Seung Ahn Nah elected as the president of the Korean American Communication Association for a two-year term.
Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in San Francisco at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov 2015 | Held paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Las Vegas at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2016 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Fukuoka, Japan at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| August 2016 | Held panel/paper sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Mineapolis at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov 2016 | Held paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Philadephia at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2017 | Paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in San Diego at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| Aug 2017 | Paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Chicago at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Sep 2017 | Dr. Eyun-Jung Ki starts two-year term as the president of the Korean American Communication Association. |
| Nov 2017 | Held paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Dallas at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2018 | Paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Prague, Czech Republic at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| Aug 2018 | KACA celebrated its 40th anniversary with book announcements, special events and Paper/panel sessions in Washington DC, at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Nov 2018 | Held paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Salt Lake City at the annual convention of the National Communication Association. |
| May 2019 | Paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Washington, DC at the annual convention of the International Communication Association. |
| Aug 2019 | Held paper/panel sessions of the Korean American Communication Association in Toronto, Canada at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. |
| Sept 2019 | Dr. Moon J. Lee starts two-year term as the president of the Korean American Communication Association. |