Korean Alliance against the KorUS FTA(KoA) is...
an alliance of 282 trade unions, political parties, peasant organizations,
NGOs and social movement organizations against the Korea-US(KorUS)
FTA. We...
??believe in mobilizing the masses, from bottom up, against
the KorUS FTA and globalization;
??work to coordinate and strengthen solidarity between
different movements and sectors to Stop the KorUS FTA;
??perform various activities to mobilize, educate and propagate
struggles against the KorUS FTA and globalization;
??share information, research and analyze pending negotiations on
the FTA and strategies of both Korean and US governments;
??consolidate interntional solidarity with global movements
against neliberalism, WTO and FTAs.
How and Why KoA was Formed...
Korean government had passed so-called four pending trade issues
regarding Korea-US trades since October 2005. They were on the suspension
of pharmaceuticals mark-down on Oct. 2005; the lowering of the standards
of automobile exhaust fumes in Nov. 2005; the resumption of American beef
importation on Jan. 13, 2006; finally the decision of the screen quota reduction
on Jan. 26th 2006.
And then, the government gave the surprise announcement of
the resuming the Korea-US FTA negotiations despite the dismissal of the
hearing committee on the FTA on Feb. 2.
With some groundless delusions, Korean government began a secretive
move to get through the FTA. While watching the steps the Korean government took,
social movements, trade unions, peasant groups and NGOs realized the urgent
necessity to strengthen solidarity and joint actions against the FTA.
It will not admit three basic labor rights. Nor it allow Korea's sovereignty
over food, culture, environment, and jurisdiction. It will undermine peoples' rights
to health, education and public services. It will threaten livelihood of all the people
in South Korea. What the United States demands in the FTA is nothing less than a
100% open-door policy from South Korea. It will not serve people's interests
but the benefits of transnational capitals' since the FTA is merely the intensification
of some types of neoliberal policies.
Last winter in the turmoil of protests a couple of farmers died, and last February film
directors and actors took the streets to protest against th reduction of screen quota.
Workers, farmers, intellectuals, artists and other conscientious people in every walk
of life are coming to form Korean Alliance against the KorUS FTA(KoA).
Contact Info
Address: Namsan B/D 310, 34-5, Namsan-dong 3ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea
Tel. +82.2.775.2501~3
e-mail: nofta@hanmail.net
http://nofta.or.kr/en