Yesterday’s protests gave rise to clashes involving over 30 thousand police and soldiers in Seoul city centre. The key issue, Korean troops in Iraq and the free trade agreement with the United States which penalises small farmers.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Over 20 thousand protesters clashed with police yesterday in Seoul city centre, during a protest against a freed trade agreement with the United States and the Korean presence in Iraq.  Over 30 thousand police and soldiers in riot gear were involved in the clashes.

According to some eye witness accounts, arrests were made among protesters.  These were for the most part farmers and students.  One of them speaking under condition of anonymity reported that the officers “beat male and female college students with batons, forcing protesters to the ground and then kicking several of them into submission before dragging them away”.

South Korea and the United States struck a sweeping bilateral free trade deal in April that studies say could boost their billion-a-year annual trade by about a further billion. The pact however heavily penalises South Korean farmers, who will find themselves unable to control the price of their products.  This is why many accuse president Roh of having condemned the Korean countryside to poverty.

 

 

• south
• korea
• usa
• trade
• agreement
• iraq
• president
• roh
• protests