11th August 2010

The fifth G20 Summit will be held in Seoul on November 11th to 12th. This meeting has grave consequences for the people of Korea and the entire world. The G20 has appointed itself the principal body responsible for finding a solution to the global economic crisis and managing the world economy.

Yet it excludes the majority of poor and developing nations from decision-making. It also seeks to make common people shoulder the burden of the crisis and to promote neoliberal policies, which have already created vast poverty and increased inequality. In addition, the South Korean government is using the upcoming summit as an excuse to severely restrict democratic rights and carry out a crackdown on migrants, street vendors and homeless people.

Recognizing the huge impacts posed by the G20 on the rights of people in Korea and around the world, labor unions, social movement organizations and progressive NGOs in South Korea formed a Peoples G20 Response Preparation Committee (hereafter Peoples Preparation Committee) on June 18th in order to respond to the G20 Seoul Summit. The Peoples Preparation Committee will take full responsibility for organising various activities and actions protesting the G20 summit as the representative of South Korean peoples, social and civil movements.

There will be a debate on an alternative vision which includes the following: Financial regulation and taxation on speculative capital; Decent work; Basic Labour rights; Environment and climate change; Alternative trade agreement to FTAs and TNCs;Food security and agriculture; Democracy and human rights; Poverty and development; Forced migration; Peace and security; Gender and G20; Cultural diversity and IPRs; Public services.