South Koreans Protest Plans to Ease Curbs on Farm Imports

Thousands of protesters angry at South Korean government moves to relax curbs on farm imports fought with riot police in Seoul on Saturday when they were prevented from demonstrating, witnesses said.

A police spokesman in Seoul said 1,665 farmers, students and dissidents were detained, but that most of them would be released with warnings.

A police van was set afire during the clash, but there were no reports of serious injuries.

Smaller protests by farmers flared in dozens of other South Korean cities and towns, the Yonhap news agency said.

Saturday’s rallies were called by a nationwide farmers’ organization and a dissident coalition group to denounce Seoul’s moves to open domestic markets to agricultural imports and to urge the government to protect farmers.

Thousands of police in riot gear blocked roads leading to a plaza in front of Seoul’s city hall and arrested people gathering there.

Farmers have been angered by South Korea’s role in the current Uruguay Round of global trade talks, fearing that opening agricultural markets will endanger their livelihoods.

President Roh Tae Woo fired Agricultural Minister Kang Bo Song on Wednesday in a partial Cabinet reshuffle. Political analysts said his dismissal was punishment for a failure to defuse public anger at the prospect of agricultural liberalization.