Parliament security, lawmakers clash amid FTA deadlock

SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- Violent clashes between opposition lawmakers and
parliamentary security officials erupted at the National Assembly Saturday during
an attempt to break up the legislators' occupation of an assembly chamber amid a
voting deadlock.
The liberal Democratic Party (DP) has occupied the assembly's main hall after
ratification of a disputed free trade agreement (FTA) with the U.S. hit a
deadlock last month. Opposition lawmakers are attempting to prevent the ruling
Grand National Party (GNP) from unilaterally passing the bills. The GNP controls
172 seats in the parliament while the DP holds 83.
Concerns of physical clashes between the two sides have been escalating after
Assembly chief Kim Hyung-o invoked his authority late Tuesday night, requesting
assistance from law enforcement authorities to break up the occupation of the
assembly hall by the main opposition so that pending bills can be put to a vote.
Physical scuffles between lawmakers from the Democratic Party and some 200
security officials mobilized by the assembly's secretariat broke out at 12:48
p.m. in front of the entrance of the main chamber inside the National Assembly.
Security officials, despite having removed several lawmakers' aides out of the
building, failed to disband the sit-in which has continued for eight days as
lawmakers grabbed each others' arms to form a "human chain."
The DP's floor leader, Rep. Won Hye-young, had his glasses broken and head of
policy committee Rep. Park Byung-seok was moved to a hospital for unknown
reasons. Clashes ceased at around 1:30 p.m.
"An incident occurred which we haven't seen even under past authoritarian
regimes," DP Chairman Chung Se-kyun said, calling for Assembly chief Kim to
resign.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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