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Wednesday, January 16, 2008 |
| "Act together for Another World : A World without FTA, Poverty, War & Discrimination!"
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WSF 2008 Global Days of Action & Mobilization in Korea
Various organizations, trade unions, social movements and coalitions have come together in a joint effort to stir public discourse and articulate their concern for the current local and global situation: neo-liberal policies, unaddressed discrimination, and war. Participants in the "Social Movements Assembly," the closing event of the Social Movements Forum held in September 2007, agreed to organize a series of actions during the "Global Week of Action & Mobilization" in Korea. Many organizations responded to the Call for Action that was prepared by forum participants, and the Organizing Committee for the WSF 2008- Global Days of Action in Korea was launched, detailed below.
Since the financial crisis in 1996~1997 and the expansion of neo-liberal globalization, understood and propagated by the ruling class as Korea's only viable option, threats to people's livelihood and the crisis of financial instability have only worsened for many. Experiencing the difficulties of this situation, more and more people have realized that neo-liberal globalization fails to affect positive change, molded instead to protect the profit-centered, exploitative practices and interests of businesses.
As exemplified in the continuing seven-month strike of E-land workers (employees of a multinational retail chain) who demand their reinstatement, currently, precarious workers are in the forefront of the struggle for labor rights. Women, who make up the majority of workers in low-paid, insecure, and informal jobs, are fighting against neo-liberal policies, which exacerbate the existing gendered division of labor.
Korean farmers participated in the international mobilization that united in Cancun and Hong Kong to assert mass opposition against the WTO and transnational agri-business, and to demand food sovereignty.
Undocumented migrant workers, fervently demanding their rights and recognition as workers, as people in Korean society, argue that labor rights and improved working conditions can be expanded for all, if solidarity that transcends racial, cultural, and national differences among unions, organizations and people is achieved. The anti-poverty movement continues to grow, responding to the worsening conditions of poverty, which escalates as a result of globalization, gentrification, and an increasing gap between the "rich" and the "poor."
Strengthening connections and co-ordination between diverse social movements in Korea unite against the main agenda of the neo-liberal government: the dispatch of troops to Iraq, expansion of U.S. military bases, and negotiation of harmful FTAs. All of these show that multi-dimensional social movements, rather than neo-liberal globalization, offer better alternatives for people's lives.
Through the Global Day of Action, the social movements for another world in Korea become public, visible and moving to mainstream society. The new president-elect, Lee Myeong-bak, is continuing the neoliberal policy in the manner of right-wing politics. Even before making his entrance to office, he constantly announces plans for corporate-friendly and anti-people, and anti-environment policies everyday. January 26, 2008 will be a day for precarious workers, migrant workers, the poor, women, students, and many others to speak out against repression and discrimination.
Global Press Conference in Seoul
․Time: 2008 January 22 - 12:00pm
․Venue: Press Room of KCTU
[Panel Discussion] 2008 Global Day of Action & Perspectives from the Global Social Movement
․Time: 2008 January 22 - 15:00pm
․Venue: Conference Room of KCTU
[Rally] 2008 WSF Global Day of Action: "Act together for Another World: A World without FTA, Poverty, War, and Discrimination!"
․Time: 2008 January 26 - 14:00pm
․Venue: Seoul Station Square
Human Rights before Urban Development for Speculation! : Joint Action for Housing Rights- linked with Global Campaign for Housing Rights
Time: Jan 21 ~ 26
Press Conference against Privatization of Energy, Water, Railway & Structural Adjustment in Public Sector
Time: 2008 January 23- 11:00am
Venue: In front of Office of Transition Committee of New government
Workshop on Water Industry Promotion Act
2008 January 23- 13:00am,
Street Outreach concerning Repression against Migrant Workers
Time: 2008 January 23- 12:00pm~13:00 pm
Venue: In front of Myeong-dong Cathedral
Organizing Committee for the WSF 2008- Global Days of Action & Mobilization in Korea
Office: 4th. Shinsung BLDG, 8-48, Galwoldong, Yongsangu, Seoul, Korea
Tel: +82-2-778-4001
Fax: +82-2-778-4006
E-mail: action126@jinbo.net
Website: http://action126.net
Imagination for International Solidarity(IFIS)/ Korean House for International Solidarity(KHIS)/ Workers Institute for Management Analysis(WIMA)/ Power of Working Class (PWC)/ All Together/ Cultural Action/ Joint Action against Water Privatization/ Media Culture Action/ Democratic Worker's Solidarity/ National Association of Professors for Democratic Society/ People's Solidarity against Commercialization of Education/ Korean Federation of Medical Groups for Health Rights (KFHR)/ People's Solidarity against Poverty/ People's Solidarity for Social Progress(PSSP)/ Seoulidarity/ Emergency Committee to Stop Repression against Migrant Workers/ People Before Profit/Sarangbang group for Human Rights/ Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU)/ National Federation of the Poor of Korea/ Korean Solidarity against Precarious Work/ Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination/ Korean March of Students/ Spec Watch Korea/Forward/ Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea/ Student Action Solidarity/ Working Voice/ Korea Social Forum-Organizing Committee/Korea Alliance of Progressive Movements/ Koran Alliance against Korea-US FTA/ Workers' Front for Social Transformation
People's Solidarity for Social Progress
4th Fl. Shinsung BLDG, 8-48, Galwoeldong, Yongsangu, Seoul, Korea
Tel. +82-2-778-4001
Fax. +82-2-778-4006
Mobil +82-11-9279-7106
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