Thousands of South Korean farmers held a rally in Seoul on Thursday to protest the planned opening of the local rice market to imports and the recent conclusion of a free trade deal with China.
The government announced earlier that it will allow tariffed imports into the rice market starting Jan. 1, ending a 20-year waiver from an agreement with the World Trade Organization.
South Korea and China struck the free trade agreement (FTA) on Nov. 10, which local farmers fear would harm them by leading to a surge in imports of cheap Chinese agricultural and livestock products.
During the rally in a plaza in central Seoul, about 4,000 farmers from across the country claimed that the government has abandoned the nation’s “food sovereignty” by declaring the rice market opening and striking FTAs with China and other countries.
“The government unilaterally opened up the rice market and proceeded with the South Korea-China FTA behind closed doors, which would eventually hurt the local agricultural industry,” said an association representing the farmers.
They demanded that the government suspend the FTA with China and take measures to protect them, including a state purchase system for rice and other staple foods.
The farmers, who traveled by bus and plane to take part in the rally, also protested against FTAs with New Zealand and Canada.
South Korea and New Zealand struck an agreement on the sidelines of a summit of the Group of 20 advanced and emerging economies in the Australian city of Brisbane last week, while a bill on the FTA with Canada has been submitted to parliament for ratification.
After the rally, the farmers marched through the city center, chanting anti-government slogans.
Some 5,000 riot police were mobilized to prepare for contingencies, but no violence was immediately reported. (Yonhap)
