Opposition warned to end its protest

Source: Agencies  |   2008-12-31  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

SOUTH Korea's parliament speaker has ordered opposition politicians camped inside the National Assembly to end their five-day protest, warning yesterday that he would send in guards to force them out if they refused.

Dozens of lawmakers from the opposition Democratic Party have been occupying the main hall of the National Assembly since last Friday to prevent the ruling Grand National Party from forcing through dozens of bills before the end of the year, including a controversial free trade deal with the United States.

The pact would be the largest for the US since the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, and the biggest yet for South Korea.

The ruling party, which has control of parliament with 172 seats in the 299-member National Assembly, has said it will unilaterally vote on some 80 bills today.

After two days of negotiations to find a compromise ended without success last night, National Assembly Speaker Kim Hyong-o invoked his right to order security guards to "keep order," Kim's spokesman Bae June-young said.

The opposition said it cannot accept Kim's decision, raising concerns about another violent scuffle at the National Assembly.

Earlier this month, in a bid to force the introduction of the US free trade agreement and other bills, ruling party members set up barricades of furniture near the committee's doors to prevent Democrats entering the room.

Enraged opposition politicians used sledgehammers and construction tools to break down doors blocked by ruling party legislators. They fought back with fire extinguishers.

South Korea and the US signed the accord calling for slashing tariffs and other barriers to trade in April last year, but the pact must still be ratified by both countries' legislatures.

Opposition politicians say the US$29 billion trade agreement favors major corporations.