Thousands of Koreans stage street protest against free trade deal with US
Yonhap | 2011/12/10
Thousands of Koreans stage street protest against free trade deal with U.S.
SEOUL, Dec. 10 (Yonhap) — Thousands of people rallied in downtown Seoul Saturday in protest of a free trade agreement (FTA) South Korea has signed with the United States, arguing that it unfairly favors Washington.
The South Korea-U.S. FTA, signed in 2007 and modified last year, were ratified by the two countries’ legislatures. Seoul and Washington plan to put the accord into effect early next year.
In South Korea, street protests against the FTA with the U.S. have been held almost daily since the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) rammed it through the National Assembly on Nov. 22.
On Saturday evening, about 2,300 protesters gathered in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun district, shouting against the deal. Organizers estimated the number at 10,000.
About 2,000 riot police were deployed in a show of force against possible violence. There were no immediate reports of clashes.
Earlier, police took away 15 university students who held an unauthorized anti-FTA rally near the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae.
