South Korea liberalizes their rice market

By Choe Sang-Hun | International Herald Tribune
Nov. 24, 2005

South Korea’s Parliament ratified a trade pact on Wednesday that opens the domestic market wider to rice imports, brushing aside strong opposition from the nation’s farmers.

The move pushed through by the administration of President Roh Moo Hyun was aimed at underscoring South Korea’s commitment to global free trade but is sure to further anger the nation’s 3.5 million farmers, whose numbers have been steadily decreasing in this rapidly industrializing country of 48 million people.

Farmers rallied near the National Assembly to express their anger at the move, while police blocked highways leading into Seoul to prevent others from bringing their protests to the capital.

The vote came amid chaotic scenes in the assembly as members of the minority Democratic Labor Party, which opposed the bill, occupied the speaker’s podium in an effort to block voting.

Lawmakers from the governing Uri Party scuffled with the opposition members before pushing them aside and going ahead with the vote. The bill was approved 139 to 61, with 23 abstentions.