NGOs to stage peace march during ASEM

"People's action and solidarity to challenge globalization" -- this is the theme of the ASEM 2000 Civic Forum that is organizing a number of events between Oct.17 and 21 around the time the Asia-Europe Meeting takes place in Seoul.

Beginning with a welcoming reception Oct. 17, the forum will set up 13 workshops following the opening ceremony Oct. 18. On Oct. 19 cultural programs will be presented to add color to their discussions. The Millennium Hall of Konkuk University will be the venue for the forum.

More than 30,000 members of diverse civic organizations are expected to join in a peace march, which well leave the Peace Gate at the Olympic Park at 2 p.m. Oct. 20, the Day of Seoul Action. The 3.2-kilometer march will end at the Chamsil Stadium.

A 6-meter symbolic structure made of empty cartridges from the Maehyang-ri battle ground by artist Yim Ok-Sang will be shown. On Oct. 21 a group of about 150 representatives of these organizations will visit the peace village inside the Demilitarized Zone.

As of Oct. 16, a total of 264 members of 95 non-governmental organizations in 33 countries sent notifications of their intent to participate in the Asia-Europe Meeting activities.

Among them are Prof. Bernar Kasang of Paris University, who is president of ATTAC advocating the regulation of hot money, British freelance journalist Duncan Cambell, who submitted the Echelon Report to the European Parliament exposing a global bugging network, and Maria Theresia, who leads a campaign for remitting foreign debts in the Philippines.

Organizers of the forum gave a press conference at Nutinamu Cafe in Anguk-dong in downtown Seoul on Monday afternoon outlining their programs to highlight the diverse side effects of globalization not confined to politics and economy on which the official functions of the ASEM are focused. On hand at the press conference were some NGO representatives from France, Germany and Thailand.

Misgivings about the possibility of violent demonstrations by NGO activists on the Seoul Action Day, as had been the case in Seattle and Prague, were dismissed by Lee Soo-Ho, secretary general of the Democratic Federation of Labor Unions, who stressed that the forum gatherings aim at peaceful expression and cultural presentations. He ruled out any clashes with riot police.

Suh Young-A sya@donga.com