South Korea-US Free Trade Talks Protested
    By Kelly Olsen
    The Associated Press

    Thursday 26 October 2006

Civil servants, public sector employees protest South Korean-US free trade talks.

    Seogwipo, South Korea - Civil servants and public sector workers held a festive, peaceful protest Thursday against a proposed South Korea-US free-trade agreement they say threatens their country's economy.

    "Free Trade Agreements Destroy Public Services," read one sign at the protest attended by about 50 people near the World Cup soccer stadium in Seogwipo, a city on the southern resort island of Jeju.

    Negotiators from the US and South Korea have held four days of talks this week in the city, their fourth round since June, aimed at hammering out an agreement to knock down tariffs and other trade barriers between the world's largest and 10th-largest economies, respectively.

    Officials wrap up the talks Friday and so far no major breakthroughs have been announced. Both sides want to reach a deal by the end of the year, though now concede that's unlikely, with talks expected to drag into early 2007.

    Timing is important. US President George W. Bush's legal authority to negotiate a deal that can be submitted to Congress for a yes-or-no vote without amendments expires the middle of next year.

    Both the US Congress and South Korea's National Assembly need time to debate and vote on any agreement so the later one gets to lawmakers the harder it is expected to be to achieve passage.

    "FTA 'Bill of Rights' for Transnational Corporations," read another sign at the nighttime demonstration.

    Heo In, an employee of one of Seoul's two subway operators, took the hour's flight from the capital to Jeju to protest. He said that the economic power of the United States is no match for South Korea.

    "Therefore, we think the FTA is unequal," said Heo, who like some of the protesters wore a Halloween-style pointed witch's hat.

    The protest, which included singing and dancing, was peaceful and took place far from where the trade officials were meeting at a seaside hotel. There was no police presence.

    Moon Hyun-sik, who works for the city of Jeju, located at the northern tip of the island, said South Koreans believe free-trade with Washington is a threat to their economic independence.

    "We think we can easily (become) beholden to the USA," he said.

    Seoul and Washington say that an agreement will boost trade in two countries that already do US$72 billion (euro57 billion) of business a year.

    Protests have been a daily occurrence on the island since Sunday, the day before the talks convened. Some were peaceful, but a few were marked by clashes with riot police, who fired water canon at about 1,000 demonstrators Tuesday.

    Police reinforced security on the island, pouring in 10,000 extra personnel to handle security. Talks held in Seoul in July drew large street protests.