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The head of Jongno Police Station was allegedly assaulted by protesters in a rally held in central Seoul against the free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, Saturday. The violent act took place during the the large-scale demonstration with thousands of participants at Gwanghwamun Square for the fifth consecutive day since the ruling Grand National Party railroaded the free trade deal last Tuesday. Park Geon-chan, head of the Jongno precinct, said he took the beatings from some demonstrators. At around 9:30 p.m., Park approached the demonstrators and was surrounded by about 100 of them. Park claimed they punched him in the face and kicked him. Police said the assaulters took his hat off, tore the badge denoting rank from the left shoulder of his uniform and broke his glasses. Park said he was attempting to talk with opposition party leaders who were participating in the protest. Some plainclothes officers escorted him to a nearby police branch office. “I feel devastated that I was attacked while trying to stop the illegal behavior. Those who committed acts of violence and other misdemeanors will face punishment,” Park told reporters after the incident. Asked why he went into the crowd in his full uniform, he said, “I was trying to do my job as the head of the police station in charge of the area. There is no reason not to wear it because it was a proper police activity. I didn’t expect such an attack.” The National Police Agency said it will arrest the attackers and penalize the rally organizers, pledging sterner responses. But the organizers said the police chief didn’t arrange talks in advance, adding there was pushing but he was not struck. A demonstrator later said on his blog, “He had no injuries to his face at all. He even had a media briefing right after the ‘attack.’ If he was seriously hurt as he claims, he should have gone to hospital first instead of holding the briefing.” Meanwhile, anti-FTA rallies took place across the country Saturday. In Seoul, thousands of citizens, civic and labor group members and opposition party members gathered in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul at around 6 p.m., demanding the ratification be invalidated. They tried to march to Cheong Wa Dae but were stopped by police and proceeded to occupy Gwanghwamun Square. It was the first time a large-scale demonstration has been held there since the square’s opening in August 2009. The protest caused traffic chaos in the downtown area with streets around the square blocked. The protesters voluntarily dispersed at 10:30 p.m., with police taking 21 of them into custody. The protest will resume Monday, with President Lee Myung-bak planning to sign the FTA Tuesday.
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| rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr | |
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