Farmers take to the streets to protest state farm policies

Farmers, claiming their plight has gone from bad to worse, staged their largest protest rally ever yesterday.

Roh Moo-hyun, the Millennium Democratic Party's candidate for president, was showered with pebbles and raw eggs as an estimated 55,000 farmers from around the country tied up traffic in the Seoul district of Yeouido, one of the busiest parts of the city.

Members of the Korean Farmers' League called on the National Assembly to vote against the recently-completed free-trade agreement with Chile and reject talks for the opening of the rice market. The government's agricultural policy is pushing farmers to the edge, the protesters said. They also demanded a law making it mandatory for Korea to become food self-sufficient. The resolution of what they called a debt crisis among farm households was also demanded.

The free-trade agreement reached in late October maintains tariffs on Chilean rice, apples and pears, which some say would have dominated the Korean market. World Trade Organization talks for greater access to the rice markets begin in 2004.

Kim Kwon-tae, who joined 30 other people from the township of Sancheon in South Gyeongsang province, said his family and others in his community are not able to make ends meet. "What is the government telling us to do by trying to open up the rice market?"

Mr. Roh, the Millennium Democratic Party's candidate for president, had to cut short his appearance in front of the crowd when eggs and stones were hurled at him as he stepped on a stage. Mr. Roh was not injured. Following Mr. Roh, Chung Mong-joon, the presidential candidate of the National Unity 21, also faced the unforgiving jeers of the crowd -- but no projectiles.

More than 12,000 police officers were on hand trying to control the crowd, but a 2-kilometer-long procession across Yeouido tied up traffic. The demonstrators dispersed voluntarily after the march, with the leaders vowing to continue the struggle.

by Kim Hyeon-kyeong