Protesters and security personnel crowded an airport near South Korea's capital yesterday ahead of the arrival of a US delegation for weeklong talks on a proposed free trade agreement.
About 700 police, some wielding riot gear and shields, were on guard inside and outside the arrival hall at Incheon International Airport.
They faced off against a hand-ful of protesters who held placards, made statements and yelled chants against the free trade agreement, or FTA.
"No FTA, No Wendy Cutler," said one of the signs, referring to the assistant US trade representative and chief US negotiator in the talks.
"Korea-US FTA is no fair trade, only free trade," said Yang Gi-hwan, an official with the Korean Coalition for Cultural Diversity, one of the protesters demonstrating against the US team's arrival.
The South Korean government on Friday vowed stern measures if violence breaks out at street demonstrations planned this week against free trade talks.
Police were expecting about 50,000 protesters to take to the streets, while labor groups hoping for numbers to top 100,000. The National Police Agency said some 20,000 officers will be mobilized during the talks.
The two governments held their first round of talks last month in Washington. The proposed agreement faces strong resistance from South Korean labor groups, especially farmers who have protested strongly against any reduction of protections for agriculture, particularly rice.
The US wants more access for its automobiles, pharmaceuticals, steel and textiles.
The two sides aim to finish the deal by the end of this year. That's so their legislatures will have time to debate and ratify it before US President George W. Bush's "fast track" trade authority runs out in the middle of next year.
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