S. Korea hit by massive protests against FTA with US

The Hankyoreh, Seoul

S. Korea hit by massive protests against FTA with U.S.

29 June 2007

Yonhap News, Seoul. Tens of thousands of workers and anti-U.S. activists rallied Friday in central Seoul in monsoon rains to oppose a free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and the United States.

The rallies come on the heels of a five-day strike against the trade pact by unionized metal workers across the country.

"The FTA doesn't create any economic profits," the 11,000 protesters from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the more militant of the country's two umbrella trade unions, said in a statement. The group included striking members of the Korean Metal Workers' Union (KMWU).

"The South Korea-U.S. FTA is a disaster to workers and farmers and the first step toward devastating the people's lives," they said in the statement.

Trade officials from South Korea and the U.S. are to sign the draft agreement in Washington on Saturday so it can be sent to their respective legislative bodies for ratification. Minor last-minute changes to the draft deal are expected. The unionized metalworkers claimed the deal will cost their jobs.

After the rally, the workers marched toward Seoul's Jongno street, occupying three traffic lanes to attend a larger rally organized by an anti-American group. There was no major traffic congestion because drivers informed of the rallies made detours.

Farmers affiliated with the Korean Peasants League, street vendors and student activists held a separate anti-FTA rally in Seoul.

A larger-sized anti-FTA demonstration will likely follow near the U.S. Embassy in downtown Seoul by activists of the Korean Alliance Against Korea-U.S. FTA later in the day.

Organizers expect the rally will draw about 30,000 participants, including those who took part in the previous rallies.

Meanwhile, unionized workers at Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest automaker, lay down their tools for the second day on Friday to oppose the free trade pact.

They joined a five-day nationwide work stoppage organized by the KMWU with 143,000 members.

The Labor Ministry estimated that about 40,000, or 25.5 percent of the KMWU members, are taking part in the six-hour strike that began 10 a.m.

Hyundai Motor workers joined the strike from Thursday when they walked out for four hours. The union leadership had originally planned to take part in the nationwide strike from Monday but delayed the action because of rising criticism of the strike. Many rank and file unionists are still staying away from the collective action, prompting a feud with union leadership.

Hyundai estimated that the two-day strike will result in lost production of 4,893 vehicles worth 69.4 billion won (US$74.8 million). The company said it has asked police to arrest 15 union leaders for organizing the illegal strike.