Tens of thousands protest signing of the Korea-US FTA
No FTA Newsletter
Official News of the Korean Alliance Against the Korea-US FTA
www.nofta.or.kr nofta@hanmail.net
On June 29, tens of thousands of farmers, workers, and ordinary Korean people gathered throughout the country to protest the signing of the Korea-U.S. FTA. Protests were held in major cities including Seoul, Cheonju, Gwangju, Daegu, Pusan and Changwon. In total, roughly 50,000 gathered in a powerful display of opposition to the Korea-U.S. FTA.
Workers from around the country converged on Seoul’s Daehakno at 2:00pm. At the front of labor’s participation this day was the Metal Workers Union, which had called a partial general strike in the days leading up to the FTA signing, climaxing with a four hour strike on the 28th, in which over 100 thousand workers from 128 areas participated. At 2:00pm on the 29th some 20,000 workers and supporters gathered for a National Workers Gathering, followed by a Mass People’s Protest, held by the Korean Alliance against the Korea-U.S. FTA.
Workers were joined in Seoul by farmers from Gyeonggi and Choogjung Provinces as well as students and various civil and social organizations. After rallying at Daehakno, protesters spread throughout the city to starting points in Gwanghawmun, Sudaemun, and Anguk from which they march towards the Blue House, taking the streets. All over, protesters were met by police force, who used a water cannon to disperse those gathered in Anguk and arrested several people including one member of a team organized to monitor police violence. Blocked from reaching the Blue House, the protesters gathered together again at Bosingak to hold a final rally and concluded the day at around 8:30 in the evening.
Despite the strong oppposition shown on June 29 and the clearly undemocratic in which the FTA has been negotiated, South Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyun Jong and Deputy U.S. Trade Representative signed the agreement at roughly 11:00pm on June 30 Korean time. The signing of the agreement came after a short series of secret ’renegotiations,’ which took place in Seoul and Washington, D.C. beginning the previous week. The signed agreement reflects the new U.S. FTA template negotiated between the Bush Administration and the U.S. Congress. While claiming to favor labor and the environment, this template is still far short of being fair to workers, farmers, consumers of both countries.
This outcome is an affront to the common people of Korea, who will only suffer from the impact of the opening of the agricultural market, the worsening labor conditions, and the diminishing of public services. Our struggle, however, is not over. In the upcoming months KoA will use all means available to build our movement and stop the ratification of the Korea-U.S. FTA.
