S Korea shrugs off farmers' trade protest

By Charles Scanlon
BBC correspondent in Seoul
South Korea has ratified its first bilateral free trade agreement despite violent protests from farmers.

The national assembly approved the trade agreement with Chile after months of delays as thousands of farmers battled riot police outside.

The South Korean government signed the free trade agreement with Chile a year ago.

The deal was finally ratified on Monday after months of bitter argument and a series of violent clashes with farmers.

Members from rural constituencies who physically blocked three previous votes bowed to the inevitable and stayed away.

Outside the assembly, police used water canon as thousands of enraged farmers tried to break through their lines.

They believe the agreement will lead to further deals and a flood of cheap imported food.

Food fight

Under the agreement, Chile will lift tariffs on South Korean cars, mobile phones, and electronic goods.

In return, South Korea will open its markets to Chilean copper and agricultural goods, including wheat, wool, tomatoes and fish.

The farmers have been offered a generous package of subsidies and debt relief, but they say it won't be enough.

South Korean agriculture is highly inefficient, and rice farmers feel particularly vulnerable as quotas on imports are gradually lifted.

In the end, public opinion turned against the farmers.

South Korea lives by trade and is facing strong competition for its cars, computers and televisions.

The government's been slow to negotiate bilateral agreements and with World Trade talks stalled, is now afraid of being left behind.

Failure to ratify the agreement with Chile would have been a serious setback.