SOUTH KOREA: Thousands of South Korean protesters hold anti-FTA rally in Seoul

Thousands of South Korean protesters held a rally on Sunday (March 25) against the Free Trade Agreement as the U.S. and South Korea enter their final stage in the signing the agreement. More than 30,000 demonstrators, mostly workers, farmers and radical political party members gathered in downtown Seoul to rally against the FTA talks, which the U.S. administration has given a March deadline to conclude negotiations so they can take effect before July 1. "Once FTA talks between the U.S. and South Korea make an agreement, there is no way to cancel it even with the next government because it's an international promise. Therefore we absolutely have to impose a blockade against it," said protester Jung Kwang-hoon, president of Korean People's solidarity. Analysts say the deal could add about US $20 billion to the annual US $71.5 billion trade. Key issues include U.S. demands to further open the South Korean market for its cars and medical products, and South Korean calls to change U.S. anti-dumping laws Seoul says are unfairly applied to its products.

ITN Source | March 25, 2007

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