South Korean Parliament Free Trade Brawl

CHAN:
A sledgehammer battle took place at the South Korean Parliament today, literally. Parliament members opposing a a closed door meeting broke into a conference with sledgehammers and crowbars. One person suffered a head injury while others scuffled. Doors were knocked off their hinges while a desk used as a barricade was reduced to splinters.


STORY:
Members of South Korea's Grand National Party had barricaded themselves in the foreign affairs committee office, propping furniture against the door to keep Democratic Party members out. They wanted to finally approve legislation to a free trade deal with the United States.

But Democratic Party members opposing the deal broke their way in.

South Korea and the United States reached the free trade deal last year. The agreement, which is expected to add about $20 billion to annual two-way trade of $78 billion, has not been approved by legislatures in either country. The conservative Grand National Party, which holds a majority in South Korea's 299-seat National Assembly, said it wants to approve the deal by the end of this year.

Surveys show a majority of South Korean support the deal. Protesters outside the parliament building say are it is a way to overcome the South Korean economy crisis.

[Park Chan-sung, Conservative Party Protester]:
"The left wingers, anti-American and pro-North Korean, are against the U.S. and South Korea's FTA (Free Trade Agreement). That is why we are here to stop them. The U.S.-South Korea FTA should be ratified soon and we hope it can be a power to overcome South Korea's economic crisis."

The Democratic Party says the free trade deal would hurt farmers who would then face stiff competition without any protection measures.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ntd
• ntdtv
• news
• South Korean
• Parliament
• Free Trade
• Brawl

[bombersjacket]

only in a democracy can a brawl occur in parliament, stupid.

if this was a communist government, anyone resisting would have been executed or exiled.

[Atropos06]

This is hilarious on so many levels for so many reasons...

[dhksrksalem]

south korean look this show on live tv with slang

[eilam42]

@bombersjacket so are you for democracy or for communism?

[Krac2A]

I have a question ! This fight was about an agreement of free trade with the U.S. But why there was no fight when South Korea and the European Union also made a free trade agreement?

[ShishirYerramilli]

@iskim86 Surely by pathetic you mean awesome!

[iskim86]

korean lawmakers are one of the more pathetic people in the world. truly.

[mmatei0]

Genuine Democracy!!!

[stsaylor29]

not funny

[ellee0623]

I support this brawl. Obviously violence is not desired but the Grand National Party is blind and deaf.

[ZoeVivi]

@dawnofdarken haha wu can be both a korean and a chinese last name.