Farmers Take to Streets

The Korean Farmers Alliance comprising 9 farmers organizations including the Korean Farmers League, the Korean Advanced Farmers Federation and the Korean Farming Engineers Association held a press interview before the National Assembly in the morning of June 3 and said, ˝We will push for massive strikes against the planned ratification of the Free Trade Agreement so as to protect the farming industry and lives of farmers.˝

The Federation of Students Councils in Seoul also issued a statement, saying it would not accept the agreement, which ignores voices of industry associations and experts. ˝We will join the campaign led by farmers groups so as to stop the National Assembly from ratifying the pact.˝

The alliance has decided to hold a large outdoor rally against ratification of FTA on June 19 in front of the National Assembly, and its officials will take a sit-in in front of the parliament on June 12 as standing committee sessions open.

On the 20th, in particular, farmers nationwide plan to hold a massive rally in front of the National Assembly by mobilizing up to 10,000 tractors and cultivators. The alliance also has decided to hold a demonstration on June 30 and July 1 before the session ends, blocking the passage of lawmakers so that they cannot vote for ratification.

Under the plan, the Gwangju Branch of the Farmers Alliance held a demonstration before the South Cholla Government Complex on the 3rd, announcing its campaign against the Korea-Chile FTA.

Angry farmers said during the demonstration, ˝If the National Assembly passes the free agreement bill, we will launch a civic campaign to unseat lawmakers and government officials.˝

The North Gyeongsang Branch of KFL is poised to boycott the Briefing on Doha Development Agenda set to be held at the hall of the North Gyeongsang Government Complex on the 5th. The event organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aimed to promote government farming policies under the WTO system.

˝Once Korea-Chile FTA takes effect, farming houses in this area, which account for most of national production of grapes and prunes, will be hit hard,˝ said an official at the branch. ˝We will fight hard to prevent that from happening.˝

The organization has launched a street campaign using placards and decided to send some 1,000 tractors for the scheduled demonstration in Seoul on the 20th.

˝Forming an agreement with Chile, one of the world`s agricultural powerhouses even the U.S. refuses to sign a pact, will no doubt put the domestic farming industry into despair,˝ said Gang Gi-gap, Chairman of the North Gyeongsang Branch. ˝We are ready to go on a strike against the government`s attempt to close the deal.˝

shjung@donga.com choi@donga.com