advertisement  |
SEOUL (Reuters) - Thousands of South Koreans joined a labor union-organized protest on the streets of the capital on Sunday against the coming summit of Pacific Rim leaders including U.S. President George W. Bush. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit opens this week in the South Korean port city of Pusan. Its agenda includes discussions on how to enhance global free trade and minimize damage from a bird flu pandemic. Protesters in red headbands carried placards saying "No Bush visit" and "No APEC". They also demanded a revision of domestic labor laws to improve conditions for temporary workers and a better social security net for all workers. Police put the turnout at more than 20,000. Riot police lined the protest route and used buses to block streets as protesters marched near to the U.S. embassy and the presidential Blue House. A city police official said there was no report of violence. The rally was organized by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the second-biggest and more militant of South Korea's two main umbrella labor groups. Foreign investors see labor unrest as a major impediment to doing business in South Korea, Asia's fourth-largest economy.
© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.
|