ID :
61313
Tue, 05/19/2009 - 15:59
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/61313
The shortlink copeid
President calls for stiff measures against violent protests
(ATTN: UPDATES with additional remarks from Lee, more details)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, May 19 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak called Tuesday for resolute
punishment against violent protesters after a clash between unionized workers and
police left over 100 officers injured last week.
The president said the clash that took place Saturday in Daejeon, some 200
kilometers south of Seoul, seriously damaged the country's image in the
international community.
"We must get rid of such violent behavior if we are to improve our national image
in the global era," Lee was quoted as saying in a weekly Cabinet meeting.
Some 50 protesters were also injured in Saturday's confrontation as hundreds from
the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), one of the two umbrella labor
union, wielded sharpened bamboo spears to fight the police.
President Lee said such violence was one of the factors that continue to
undermine South Korea's national image, along with labor disputes and the North
Korean nuclear issue.
"It is very disturbing that we continue to see such violent protests in our
society," Lee said, according to his spokesman, Lee Dong-kwan.
More than 450 protesters were taken into police custody after the clash, and the
police said they will arrest and indict anyone who was caught using the bamboo
spears.
KCTU officials say the police prompted the violence by using water canons and
batons against union members, whom they claim were staging a peaceful march to
commemorate the recent death of a union leader.
Last week's clash erupted as the president appealed for national efforts to rise
out of the global economic crisis, which he said will take time to overcome.
"There must not be any government official who lets down their guard just because
there are some indications that our economic conditions are somewhat improving,"
the president told the Cabinet meeting.
"We must instead work more actively to reform our public businesses and
restructure (private) businesses," he said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, May 19 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak called Tuesday for resolute
punishment against violent protesters after a clash between unionized workers and
police left over 100 officers injured last week.
The president said the clash that took place Saturday in Daejeon, some 200
kilometers south of Seoul, seriously damaged the country's image in the
international community.
"We must get rid of such violent behavior if we are to improve our national image
in the global era," Lee was quoted as saying in a weekly Cabinet meeting.
Some 50 protesters were also injured in Saturday's confrontation as hundreds from
the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), one of the two umbrella labor
union, wielded sharpened bamboo spears to fight the police.
President Lee said such violence was one of the factors that continue to
undermine South Korea's national image, along with labor disputes and the North
Korean nuclear issue.
"It is very disturbing that we continue to see such violent protests in our
society," Lee said, according to his spokesman, Lee Dong-kwan.
More than 450 protesters were taken into police custody after the clash, and the
police said they will arrest and indict anyone who was caught using the bamboo
spears.
KCTU officials say the police prompted the violence by using water canons and
batons against union members, whom they claim were staging a peaceful march to
commemorate the recent death of a union leader.
Last week's clash erupted as the president appealed for national efforts to rise
out of the global economic crisis, which he said will take time to overcome.
"There must not be any government official who lets down their guard just because
there are some indications that our economic conditions are somewhat improving,"
the president told the Cabinet meeting.
"We must instead work more actively to reform our public businesses and
restructure (private) businesses," he said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
