Korean Farmers Protest against Agricultural Market Opening

Korean demonstrators marched against the agricultural market opening yesterday in Hong Kong, the site of the ongoing World Trade Organization ministerial meeting.

About 800 Korean farmers marched 1.5 km using “one bow for every three steps” from the SOGO department store, which is near Victoria Park, to the convention center where the meetings were being held.

Kang Ki-kab, a lawmaker from the Democratic Labor Party (DLP), and representatives from farmers’ unions led the march

The march, which was aimed at expressing how desperate the Korean farming industry is, lasted about three hours and drew attention from hundreds of foreign journalists and Hong Kong citizens.

In addition, the protestors held demonstrations in many places in downtown Hong Kong using Korean traditional instruments.

At times, the Korean protestors became aggressive, and the Hong Kong police warned that if such demonstrations continue, it would take decisive action.

With regard to the LDP protestors’ attempt to enter the convention center, the Hong Kong police said, “Protestors are provoking the police and trying to appeal to violence in an effort to attract attention. If they continue to disrupt the ministerial meetings, we will have no choice but to take decisive action.”

The local media reported that there was the possibility of the police taking strong actions such as prohibiting protestors from marching or arresting protestors.

Eun-Woo Lee libra@donga.com