After many close-door meetings and negtiations and months of waiting, the full text of Korea-US free trade agreement (FTA) was
openned last Friday: http://www.mofat.go.kr/mofat/fta/eng/eng_list.htm
openned last Friday: http://www.mofat.go.kr/mofat/fta/eng/eng_list.htm
"But it has many poisonous articles in there. We are especially worried about the intellectual property rights (IPR) chapter," says PatchA of APC-member in Seoul, Jinbonet. The confirmation letters on IPR comprehend very
dangerous elements that were not included in the former US FTA.
dangerous elements that were not included in the former US FTA.
For example, both governments agreed on the
objective of shutting down the internet sites that permit
unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or transmission of
copyright works.
objective of shutting down the internet sites that permit
unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or transmission of
copyright works.
This means that it would basically mandate the Korean government to shut down even peer-to-peer (P2P) services and webhard service. "I think most of the internet sites, including portals,
UCC/UGC, blog sites and the like could now be shut down by the government," details PatchA.
UCC/UGC, blog sites and the like could now be shut down by the government," details PatchA.
Furthermore, the new FTA text includes strong enforcement activities on book
printing on university campuses.
If this Korea-US FTA is passed, then the Unted States will
request other countries to include the new articles in the
following FTA. The response therefore needs to get international solidarity
activities going. This kind of US FTA could set a precedent that will be very difficult to fight back, after the fact.
Jinbonet invites you to read material that was put up on the anti-FTA campaign website: http://nofta-ip.jinbo.net. "We welcome your critical
opinions or statements with regards to this IPR chapter of the Korea-US FTA," PatchA insists. "We will post them our struggle website".
opinions or statements with regards to this IPR chapter of the Korea-US FTA," PatchA insists. "We will post them our struggle website".
Korean Alliance Against the Korea-U.S. FTA and social
organisations will hold a press conference about the problems brought about by the IPR
chapter of the Korea-US FTA on Monday May 28th 2007.
organisations will hold a press conference about the problems brought about by the IPR
chapter of the Korea-US FTA on Monday May 28th 2007.
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