Farmers Gain Promises Of Help in the Assembly

The ruling and opposition political parties reacted speedily with promises Wednesday to angry farmers who staged a nationwide protest, often violent, on Tuesday over their mounting debt. The farmers did not continue their strike on Wednesday.

The two parties, not talking to each other since the abortive attempt last week to impeach the nation's two top prosecutors, put forth independent package of measures to alleviate the farmers' burden in paying back their government loans.

The ruling Millennium Democratic Party lawmakers offered plans to cut the interest rate on loans to 6.5 percent from the current 11.1 to 12.5 percent, to retire 164 billion won ($143 million) in unpaid interest and to provide better repayment terms on government policy loans to farmers.

The opposition Grand National Party put forth a plan to lower interest rates gradually over the next four to five years so that debt can realistically be cut, it said.

The two camps were quick to seize an opportunity to win over a constituency that makes up 9 percent of the total population of 47 million.

The ruling party's lawmakers debated whether it was fair for the government to help farmers when the cities had their share of the poor. But the majority of the lawmakers tiled in favor of aiding the rural community.

The farmers' total debt stood at 41 trillion won at the end of 1999, with some 60 percent coming due next year and the year after.

The National Police Agency said Wednesday that it was investigating 27 farmers for their role in the one-day blockade of the nation's major highways and roads.

The police vowed to arrest all farmers who led the violent parts of the protest. That was regarded as a move to forestall further massive and violent strikes by the farmers, expected around mid-December.

by Lee Jung-min