KDLP Lawmakers go on a hunger strike against FTA
Fasting and sit-in strike
Jo Tae-Geun
△KDLP Lawmakers in a hunger strike ⓒVOP
South Korean and U.S. negotiators opened a new round of free trade talks amid tight security on Monday as nine leftist Korean lawmakers began a hunger strike outside the meeting site.
Authorities deployed 15,000 riot police in Seoul to deter anticipated large-scale protests against the talks. Farmers and factory workers argue that the envisaged free trade deal with the U.S. will devastate their livelihoods.
The Korean Democratic Labor Party’s lawmakers went on a hunger strike against the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement talks in front of the Shila hotel where the talks convened.
“If agreed on, the free trade agreement will trample on the lives of Korean people,” Rep. Kwon Young-ghil of the KDLP told while fasting in front of the hotel.
“We will continue a hunger strike until they cease the negotiations.” Kwon spoke of rumors that Seoul and Washington have decided to finalize their talks by the end of February.
Rep Kang Gi-Gap said “the KDLP lawmakers will do sit-in strike here in front of the hotel until the end of the 6th round of the Kor-US FTA talks.”
Rep. Kang argued that Korean government is cheating its own people by distorting the results of the each round of talks. We the lawmakers of the KDLP are aware of it and that’s why we’re here to go on a hunger strike.”
Rep. Roh Hoe-Chan said “if agreed, the Kor-US FTA would deepen social polarization which is the most serious issue of our time. and it would make Korea ‘a land of the richest 1%’.”
Rep. Roh also stressed that “President Roh Moo-Hyun should explain for whom he’s trying to negotiate. For the riches? Or for America? He has given no answer until now.”
As it became dark around the hotel, the 9 lawmakers were preparing for sleeping outdoors.