S. Korean farmers, activists plan anti-FTA protests next week
Yonhap
October 16, 2006
S. Korean Farmers, Activists Plan Anti-FTA Protests Next Week
SEOUL, Oct 16 Asia Pulse — More than 3,000 South Korean farmers and activists plan to hold peaceful demonstrations next week to protest against a fourth round of free trade talks with the United States, organizers said Monday.
South Korea and the U.S. were scheduled to open the fourth round from Oct. 23-27 on the nation’s southern resort island of Jeju. In the previous rounds, both sides have failed to make progress due to differences over agriculture, medicine, automobiles and textiles among others.
The fourth round has drawn attention because the two nations are set to discuss a tariff phase-out on rice, the most sensitive item for South Korean farmers, officials say.
"As we did in the past three rounds, we’ll protest in a lawful and peaceful way," said Joo Jei-joon, general coordinator of the Korean Alliance Against the Korea-U.S. FTA, by telephone.
The group, consisting of farmers, factory workers and university students nationwide, expects more than 3,000 demonstrators to join the protests against the Jeju round, Joo said.
Last week, Park Jong-hwan, the chief of Jeju police, already banned demonstrators from staging protests near the venue of the talks, the Jeju Shilla Hotel.
Joo admitted things may be get worse from farmers because rice will be on the bargaining table during the fourth round.
"Things could change if police respond in a bad manner, given the farmers’ plight. But we are going to stage a lawful, peaceful protest," he added.
The Korea Alliance represents about 280 organizations of farmers, laborers and filmmakers, according to the group’s Web site.
South Korean farmers have strongly opposed a free trade deal with the U.S., saying if the agreement is adopted, it would destroy their livelihoods.
While South Korea’s top negotiator for free trade talks with the U.S., Kim Jong-hoon, has reiterated that rice should be excluded from the proposed free trade agreement, few U.S. trade officials have agreed with him.
The chief concern for the U.S. in free trade talks with South Korea is the agricultural sector, especially rice and beef, according to a report released by the Washington-based Korea Economic Institute.
Aside from the economic factors, North Korea’s claimed test of a nuclear bomb on Oct. 9 may dash South Korea’s hope to persuade the U.S. to recognize goods made at an inter-Korean industrial park in North Korea under a free trade agreement, analysts say.
South Korea and the U.S. hope to wrap up negotiations by the end of this year, so an agreement can be ratified before President George W. Bush’s trade authority expires in mid-2007.
