Police to counteract violence sternly
Korea Times
Police to Counteract Violence Sternly
By Bae Ji-sook, Staff Reporter
6 July 2006
The commissioner general of the National Police Agency Lee Taek-soon, Thursday said police will sternly counteract possible violent demonstrations against the Korea-U.S. FTA negotiations in Seoul next week.
Speaking at a forum at the Korea Press Center in downtown Seoul on peacefully settling demonstrations, he said police will guarantee freedom of assembly to the maximum, but deal with demonstrations involving illegal activities and violence.
Saying there were some peaceful demonstrations in Korea, including some against the relocation of U.S. bases to Pyongtaek on Feb. 12 and those against the Korea-U.S. FTA negotiations in Washington in June, he said upcoming demonstrations should be carried out peacefully.
While the number of violent demonstrations has dropped in the past several years, the number of radical demonstrations has increased remarkably this year and have involved 290 police casualties.
