Monday 8 November 2010

Seoul braced for anti-G20 protests


SOUTH Korea is braced for massive protests agains the neoliberal G2 circus when it rolls into town this week.

The Korea Herald reports that 50,000 police officers are currently deployed around the COEX, the summit’s venue, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

It adds: "The highest number of police officers ever mobilized in a single G20 summit was 19,000 in Toronto this June."

Say organisers of the impressive anti-G20 coalition: "The G20, originally formed to respond to the global financial crisis, is attempting to set itself up as the authority responsible for directing the world economy and defining world governance.

"While completely excluding most nations from decision-making, the G20 is attempting to make the world ‘safe’ for neoliberal capitalism by forcing emerging economies to shoulder part of the burden of the crisis, promoting trade and investment liberalization dressed up 'in new robes', negotiating weak financial reforms that largely allow financial speculation to go on unchecked, and reviving the ailing IMF and other IFIs.

"This agenda is being pursued despite the fact that neoliberal capitalism is clearly a failed model, which only increases poverty and inequality around the globe."

A protest was held on Sunday and the main march and rally is planned for Thursday November 11.