World's First Virtual March for the Whales unveiled in South Korea
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Ulsan, South Korea, June 19, 2005
The World's first "Virtual March" was unveiled this evening in Ulsan, South Korea, host city of the 57th International Whaling Commission (IWC). Delegates attending the conference joined supporters, passers-by and the world's media in Lotte Plaza to witness the projection of thousands of images of people protesting the prospect of resumed commercial whaling.
A total of 51,161 thousand people from 122 countries took part in the Virtual March by sending photographs of themselves with a banner expressing their concern about the fate of the world's dwindling populations of whales.
"The International Whaling Commission has come to Korea to decide the fate of whales. Greenpeace has brought the protest from thousands of people to the decision makers; to show them that even though their decisions may be made behind closed doors, the whole world is watching. These people want to make sure that the Korean Government does not follow the footsteps of the Japanese Government, and does not push for a resumption of commercial whaling and lethal research," said John Frizell, Greenpeace International.
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of South Korea has already publicly declared an interest in resuming whaling under the guise of 'scientific' research. South Korea is also threatening to support Japanese Government's attempts to overturn the global moratorium on commercial whaling.
"Over two thousand whales could be killed this year using the excuse of scientific research and commercial whaling in defiance of the IWC moratorium. This figure will increase if the Korean Government resumes whaling," said Frizell. "The Korean Government must understand that the international reputation of their country hangs in the balance in the decisions they will make in the week ahead."
See the Virtual March at www.greenpeace.org
