[WSIS CS-Plenary] [Press Release] Criticizing undemocratic preparatory process in WSIS Thematic Meeting held in Seoul (June 23 - 24, 2005)

[PatchA]

Dear all,

Below is Korean Civil society organizations' statement to the WSIS
Thematic Meeting in Seoul. 
We, Korean Civil Society Organizations, criticize the undemocratic
aspects of the Korean
government's preparatory works and decision making process for this
meeting. 

Please refer to below statement. 

Best,
PatchA

Korean Progressive Network'Jinbonet'
International Coordinator
Email) patcha at patcha.jinbo.net
Website) http://www.jinbo.net
Tel) +82-2-701-7687
Fax) +82-2-701-7112

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[Statement] Criticizing undemocratic preparatory process in WSIS
Thematic Meeting held in Seoul (June 23 - 24, 2005)


WSIS Thematic meeting on "Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships for Bridging
the Digital Divide", co-organized by the Ministry of Information &
Communication of Korea(MIC) and International Telecommunication
Union(ITU) is held from June 23rd to June 24th in Seoul, South Korea.
Since the first phase of WSIS 2003, building information society has
become a global agenda. This year, when the 2nd phase of WSIS will be
held in coming November, global discussion is focusing on internet
related public policy issues and global digital divide. This event,
WSIS Thematic meeting on "Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships for Bridging
the Digital Divide", is also held as one part of the whole process of
WSIS global discussion.

As those people who are confronted with information society issues
within society much more than any other society and also grappling with
public policy issues which are addressed in this society, we are proud
that our government is making this event and actively involved in
global discussion. However, we are severely worried at some points such
as its modality of communication, substantial discussion, and even some
response direction when the MIC and its subsidiary organizations are
bringing in its discourses on WSIS issues. Therefore, we, Korea Civil
Society Network and its member organizations, feel the necessity to
clarify our positions criticizing some problems which reveals in this
WSIS Thematic Meeting.

1. Last the first phase WSIS in 2003, affirmed that in building
information society, the participation, solidarity and cooperation of
multi-stakeholders including government, private sector and civil
society is essential in decision making process. (2003 WSIS Declaration
of Principles). Furthermore, WSIS Korea Forum, which was formed by the
MIC, its subsidiary institutes and civil society in 2003, also declared
the principle position that "All players of public sector, private
enterprises and civil society should make an effort together to form
information society, in participating together in decision making
process." (2003 WSIS Korea Forum Statement)

2. Therefore, we should express deep concern on the fact that this WSIS
Thematic Meeting had never been publicly informed to all member
organizations of WSIS Korea Forum. Also, there had been no discussion
or consultation on its topic with civil society beforehand for this
event. As a result, this event has been solely prepared by the MIC and
KADO. We are deeply worried at this unilateral preparation process.

3. In this regard, many civil society members which are involved in the
2nd phase of WSIS,  particularly Asian civil society members are
wondering why this Seoul event has not been publicly informed
beforehand or consulted with civil society members. Now, they are
asking these questions to our civil society members in Korea.

4. We feel some serious question at the fact that the disable people's
organizations which have deep interest in information accessibility
issues and so naturally to be consulted in preparation process because
this event's main topic is to bridge the digital divide, but are
completely excluded. Furthermore, most global  civil society
organizations, who are actively participating in 2005 WSIS process,
would have had to be contacted and provided with appropriate
information for this event. But it is not the case. We think this is
clearly a big mistake.

5. We don't see this wrong behavior had not been taken just from
administrative mistakes or immature attitude for international
activities. Rather, we think that this wrong attitude fundamentally
comes from the present government's persistent policy position that
most public policy issues should be handled and led by governments or
government-related organizations rather than accepting de facto global
consensus and policy principles that close cooperation, solidarity and
participation of multi-stake holders in decision making process are
necessary for building information society.

6. Korea government had fundamentally changed the private sector
initiating self-regulation mechanism for managing internet address
schemes which had been evolved throughout our internet development
history and  replaced it with state governing mechanism by making
"Internet Addressing Scheme Regulation Law". Recently, the MIC has
adopted the reinforced governmental regulation framework over broadband
internet service. Moreover, the MIC has taken up coherently ignoring
users and netizens' public opinion which have been shown in the public
debates on broadband internet pricing issue and mobile phone pricing
issue on value added services. As an ICT policy authority, these
attitudes are definitely very disappointing and unacceptable. 

7. We express our deep worry over this MIC's unilateral, closed and
undemocratic working style and attitudes. And this is fundamentally
reversing the essence of WSIS declaration principles which are
emphasizing the democratic decision making process. Furthermore, we
should point out the flaw of the MIC's argument that the governmental
initiating role for setting public policy of information society tends
to be reinforced at global level. Such an argument is very far away
from today's global landscape of information society in the world.

8. We should point out that the MIC, preoccupied with the task of ICT
industry development, has no concern on information society's societal
issues at all and less concerned with encouraging the participation and
cooperation of multi-stake holders including civil society. Even in
international relations, the MIC, solely preoccupied with expanding the
export market of ICTs although it seems to be very short-sighted, are
not so active in playing constructive role for building global
information society and its governance mechanism. By arguing solely
state-led governance mechanism which seems to be already outdated, we
think, the MIC is rather defaming its status as one of pioneer
countries in ICT fields and building information society.

9. Therefore, we clarify that this WSIS Thematic Meeting, which has
been prepared by the MIC and KADO is just government event and
practically excluding most of those discriminated people in digital
divide environment and other civil society organizations who are
working for the advocacy of those victims. In fact, it has nothing to
do with the multi-stake holder participation and cooperation. We hope
again that the MIC would open up all decision making process
transparently. And we urge that the MIC would support to form or
enhance the self-regulatory mechanism at the part of private sector and
civil society rather than over-extending governmental regulatory scope
and to ensure the democratic participation structure so that all stake
holders could actively participate in. 

June 23, 2005

Citizen's Action Network
Cultural Action
Intellectual Property Left
Korean Federation for Environmental Movement
Korean LaborNet
Korean Progressive Network 'Jinbonet'
Korea Women's Associations United
Korean WomenLink 
Mediact
PeaceNet
Research Institute of the Differently Abled Rights in Korea