Protesters outnumber police at
labor unionist demonstration in Seoul
By Jim Lea, Osan bureau chief
More than 12,000 labor unionists filled the streets of downtown Seoul
on Sunday to protest government-ordered layoffs for economic reform.
Shouting “Down with Kim Dae-jung!” the unionists first held
a rally at a city park, then marched toward national government office buildings about a
mile away. An overwhelmingly outnumbered force of about 600 riot police attempted to halt
the march as protesters reached city hall plaza in the center of the capital.
The unionists were joined there by about 100 activist students armed
with wooden clubs and steel pipes who squared off against riot police. Melees broke out
immediately, and a number of police were pulled away and beaten by the students.
Police and protesters were helped away from the clashes with bleeding
head wounds, television reports showed. A police spokesman said about 30 people were
injured, more than half of them police. He said he did not know how many, if any,
protesters were apprehended.
There were no clashes near U.S. military bases in the capital, but
traffic flow was severely congested throughout the city for hours.
Labor union protests have become increasingly violent over the past
year. While they are in no way aimed at the U.S. military presence in the country, U.S.
Forces Korea cautions all members of the military community to steer clear of such
protests because of the possibility of violence.
The American Forces Network airs such cautions several times an hour
daily.
Such protests have been held periodically over the past two years. In
the 1997-98 Asian economic crisis, South Korea received a $59 billion bailout loan from
the International Monetary Fund.
In return for the loan, the IMF said the government must launch an
economic restructuring program.
Initially, a council consisting of government, management and labor
was formed to work on restructuring. Labor unions dropped out, however, when corporations
began announcing worker layoffs. Until then, an unwritten rule in the country generally
gave workers jobs for life.
The government and management said, however, restructuring could not
be accomplished without layoffs, and the protests began.
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