SKorean farmers protest against free trade with US
A Pakistan News | Tuesday, November 17, 2009
SKorean Farmers Protest Against Free Trade With US
More than twenty thousand South Korean farmers rallied on Tuesday to denounce free trade with the United States, ahead of US President Barack Obama’s visit to the country.
In downtown Seoul, farmers wearing red headbands held a massive rally, chanting anti-government slogans and denouncing the free trade deal with the US. They said the United States’ cheap agricultural products will ruin their life. “I think we should deliver our views on South Korea’s agricultural situation to US President Obama. I also think we should have a well-balanced agreement between the two countries on agricultural issues, so that we farmers can make our own living,” said Kang Woo-hyun, a leader of the protest. Angry farmers demonstrated burning Korean alphabets meaning “solution to the rice crisis” and also burned bags of rice to protest the government’s agricultural policies. They said the government was threatening their living and urged the government to come up with better policies and sincere support.
South Korea has submitted the free-trade deal to parliament for approval. Some studies said it could boost the two countries’ $78 billion annual trade by a quarter. The ruling conservative Grand National party has pledged to pass it soon. However, US President Barack Obama, who will soon visit the country, had called for the South Korea trade deal to be re-negotiated because he says the agreements’ auto provision favours South Korean automakers too much. Obama also said on Sunday in Singapore that Washington would take steps to reduce the United States’ long-term deflect and would work with South Korea to move forward on the free trade deal.
