[WSIS CS-Plenary] Fwd: Re: Seoul WSIS conference - Korean CS statement

[Izumi Aizu]

>Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 13:39:21 +0900 (KST)
>From: Chun Eung Hwi <chun at peacenet.or.kr>
>
>
>Dear Izumi Aizu, Karen Banks and others,
>
>
>This is Korean Civil society organizations statement to the WSIS
>Thematic Meeting in Seoul, which was released out this morning to the
>press.
>
>
>regards,
>
>Chun
>
>
>===============================================
>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