(2nd LD) Anti-APEC protesters clash violently with police
By Joo Sang-min
BUSAN, Nov. 18 (Yonhap) -- About 15,000 South Korean students, farmers and workers clashed with police in Busan Friday, opposing a regional summit of leaders trying to promote free global trade.
The protesters argued that the goal being pushed by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to liberalize agricultural and other global trade would threaten their livelihood.
Leaders attending the two-day summit which began on Friday included South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, U.S. President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
"No to globalization, no to Bush," the protesters shouted as they tried to break through barricades set up by police by parking shipping containers across a bridge leading to the venue of the summit.
The rally site, Gwangalli, is about 6 kilometers from BEXCO, the main venue of the 21-member APEC forum under way since Saturday. It ends on Saturday.
"APEC globalizes poverty and legalizes war. This is why I oppose it," said Mun Jeong-sik, a 51-year-old farmer.
Police officers at the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency refused to comment. "We do not have any comment at the moment," said an officer who declined to identify himself.
Authorities deployed 20,000 riot police in addition to the 30,000 security forces to cope with the expected protests on Friday and Saturday. Officials said security arrangements for the APEC Summit are the strictest since the 2002 World Cup that South Korea co-hosted with Japan.
All areas close to the BEXCO convention center are off limits to ordinary citizens. Officials permitted those anti-APEC rallies to be held at Gwangalli.
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