http://www.heraldnewsdaily.com/stories/ ... 03533.html

Protesters, police clash over trade deal
Staff and agencies
17 July, 2006


By MI-SOOK JEONG, Associated Press Writer Wed Jul 12, 11:45 AM ET

SEOUL, South Korea - People protesting the proposed South Korea -U.S. free trade agreement clashed with riot police in central Seoul on Wednesday as negotiators for the two governments held talks on the deal.

Police responded with steady bursts of water cannon after protesters charged with bamboo spears, tried to topple buses and threw sand at officers standing atop the vehicles. There appeared to be no injuries and police said there were no arrests.

The two sides kicked off talks last month in Washington and say an agreement will increase trade and add to growth. They hope to wrap up a deal by the end of the year to submit to their respective legislatures.

The U.S. wants more access for its farm produce, automobiles and pharmaceuticals and other goods and services. It won concessions for Hollywood movies before the talks began.

The South Korean government last week vowed stern measures against any violence, citing the country‘s "external credibility."

Jeff Vogt, a Washington-based official with the U.S. labor organization AFL-CIO visiting Seoul, said the proposed accord and others like it modeled on the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, were bad for laborers.