Police foil farmers' demonstrations in Seoul

Expected large-scale anti-government demonstrations by farmers, which were slated to take place in the Yoido financial district in Seoul, were averted Friday due to riot police intervention.

The police deployed 25 companies of some 3,000 riot policemen each on the streets leading to Yoido and blocked the farmers from entering the assembly site, causing traffic snarl in nearby areas.

Some 40 farmers affiliated with the national federation of farmers' associations lodged protests in the face of the police cordon but there were no serious clashes between the farmers and policemen.

Meanwhile, due to sporadic demonstrations staged by farmers heading for the Seoul assembly, traffic jams were commonplace on city expressways.