People's
Struggle has been already started for O20!! Interest and participation in the preparations for the struggle has started to build up, both nationally and internationally. The diversity of the wide-ranging interest and participation in the preparations for the struggle has surprised many here in Korea. Apart from the social, people's, and progressive movement organizations which form KoPA and the People's Rally Committee, Korean anarchists, numbering few and until recently not known to exist, have unveiled themselves and declared they will participate in the struggle against globalization. Many student organizations, and university student associations have already declared their opposition to the Meetings and will act in solidarity with KoPA and the People's Rally Committee in their struggle. The 'Joint media project group for ASEM 2000,' made up of various progressive and independent media organizations in Korea, has been formed to bring coverage of the struggle to the people of Korea, as well as the world. Pictures, audio, and visual data on the struggle will be available through various channels soon. This joint project group will also act as the independent media center in Seoul, bringing news of the actions to the world. Human rights groups, professors, environmental groups, peace groups, actors/directors, and progressive parties have all expressed their support for the struggle. Even more are expected to join the ranks in the close future. Perhaps one of the aspects that will distinguish the struggle in Seoul from other similar struggles in Seattle, Washington, Melbourne and Prague, is the fact that major people's organizations and trade unions will be actively engaged in the preparations for the struggle from the start. They will not be largely absent, or opportunistically use the movement to promote their own agenda. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Korean Farmer's League, both central members of both KoPA and the People's Rally Committee, have been at the forefront of the organizing activities for the actions. It is significant that the president of the KCTU, Dan Byung-Ho will give the opening address at the rally on the 20th. The following is an except from his opening address draft: "The workers struggling to block the second round of restructuring
and plan for We are positive that the resistance by the people of the world
which started in Seattle was not just an 'incident.' The struggle
in Seattle has continued in Washington, Davos, Bangkok, Melbourne,
and Prague. These struggles were the anger of the people of
the world who have had their democratic rights and livelihood taken
away by neo-liberal globalization, and a clear warning against transnational
capital, imperialism, and the governments of each country promoting
such policies. The people of Korea support the struggle by
the people of the world against neo-liberal globalization and seek
to follow in their footsteps. Today, we join hands with the
people of the world in the struggle against neo-liberal globalization." A look at the calendar shows a busy week ahead for
us. A joint concert and culture festival, in which many actors,
musical artists, and bands will be present to voice their opposition
to the neo-liberal free trade order will be held at Joong-Ang University
tomorrow. A joint discussion between the progressive organizations
of Korea will be held on both the 11th and 12th, the first one on
public service and the second one on the Korea-U.S. and Korea-Japan
bi-lateral investment treaties. The coming week is also the
'Student Action Week Against Neo-Liberalism' when students will
be holding discussions, demonstrations, and other events to gather
support and promote participation The next week, leading up to the actions on the 20th, will be even more exciting, with various actions being planned on the 16th, 17th, and 18th, the all night culture festival on the 19th, the Seoul Day of Action on the 20th, and a KCTU rally on the 21st. The government is doing all that it can to prevent the success of this struggle. A recent news article reported on the government putting pressure on the police and corporations located in the vicinity of the ASEM tower to ban any demonstrations or rallys in the area during the meetings. As in Seattle, the area around the conference area will be off limits during the duration of the meetings, and as in Prague, thousands of police will be stationed to block demonstrations. A clash is unavoidable at this point in time. The Asia Europe Meeting is a conference developed to promote cooperation between the two continents. We already know that this economic cooperation only serves the few, and the people of Korea will be out in the streets to voice opposition to that reality. But the voices and demands that will be voiced in Korea will not be limited to the interests of the people of Asia, or even Europe and Asia. They will be the voices of the people of the world, who have lost too much already to the system of inequality and exclusion which neo-liberal globalization, financial institutions, and governments enforce. It is integral to the success of the struggle in Seoul that the people of the world know about and support us in our struggle and express their solidarity to our actions against neo-liberalism. Let other activists, organizations, contacts know about this struggle, organize discussions on the subject, organize actions if possible, and please send us your messages of support and solidarity, either through e-mail, or better yet, post it directly on the bulletin board at the KoPA homepage. It will be a great help to our common cause. More updates and news to come soon! The struggle
of the People Continues in Seoul!! More information on the actions can be seen at: Regular updates on the preparations for the ASEM action can be heard through the internet broadcasts at: http://cast.jinbo.net/news/yundai.html Contact us at: kopa@jinbo.net Korean People's Action against Investment Treaties and the WTO(KoPA)
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