Third Anti Korea-US FTA Rally
Depite a police ban, demonstrators gathered on the streets
Jo Tae-Geun
△Candle light march ay Myongdong ⓒVOP
Some 7,000 anti Korea-US FTA demonstrators gathered at the ‘Maronie’ Park and Myong-dong, central Seoul, Wednesday to protest a proposed Kor-US FTA and bill on non-regular workers.
Despite a police ban, the rally was held by a coalition of civic groups including Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Korean Confederation of Farmers Unions and People’s Alliance for Unification opposing the FTA followed by Nov. 22 and 29 rallies.
The police barred the coalition from staging the third demonstrationat Seoul Plaza and Chongmyo Park.
Instead, the demonstrators joined another rally organized by the Korean Democratic Labor Party at ‘Maronie’ Park. The police allowed the rally, as the party originally applied for it to protest against the National Assembly’s passage of the bill on non-regular workers.
Participants of the rally occupied half of the car lanes on Taehangno street. After the rally, they tried to head to the downtown area for a candlelight march.
The coalition’s regional branches also held rallies nationwide, and the police mobilized almost 20,000 men at major rally sites. The police also blocked major tollgates on highways to prevent farmers and demonstrators from joining the Seoul rally.
In the meantime, the National Human Rights Commission yesterday recommended the police scrap its stance banning the anti-FTA rallies. The commission said the freedom to gather is guaranteed by the Constitution.
It recommended the police and the coalition should hold a joint press briefing or sign a pact pledging a peaceful rally. But the coalition refused, saying the law stipulates they only need to report a rally in advance, not to get permission for it. Following the refusal, the police did not scrap the banning on rallies.