(3rd LD) S. Korean lawmakers scuffle in parliament, some 20 injured

(ATTN: ADDS comment by National Assembly office in para 6)
SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's main opposition lawmakers scuffled
violently with security guards on Saturday as the guards attempted to end the
lawmakers' sit-in protest at the parliamentary speaker's podium, in a move to
push through bills initiated by President Lee Myung-bak.
Democratic Party (DP) legislators have occupied the parliament's plenary session
hall for more than a week to prevent the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) from
initiating a free trade deal with the United States and other bills for a vote.
More than 150 security guards stormed the building in three separate attempts to
remove the DP lawmakers from the National Assembly's main chamber, leaving one
lawmaker, some 20 aides and guards with minor injuries.
Rep. Park Byeong-seog, the DP's chief policy coordinator, was sent to a nearby
hospital for a minor injury and the DP floor leader Won Hye-young's glasses were
broken.
DP members formed a human chain, chanting "resignation of Speaker Kim Hyung-o" as
they tried to block the security guards. Kim, who is affiliated with the GNP,
invoked his authority to ask security guards to remove the DP lawmakers.
In a statement, the National Assembly Secretariat, the office of speaker Kim,
said it will continue to take measures to clear the DP lawmakers from the main
chamber before Monday.
Throughout South Korea's history, opposition lawmakers have commonly resorted to
sit-in protests to block legislation and violent clashes in parliament are not
unusual.
"From this moment, we can't acknowledge Rep. Kim Hyung-o as the lawmaker," said
Rep. Chung Se-kyun, leader of the DP. "We can't be shaken and we will not
retreat," Chung said.
About 900 riot police stood guard outside the National Assembly, but were legally
barred from entering the parliament building.
In a statement, Rep. Cha Myeong-jin, a spokesman at the GNP, accused the DP
lawmakers of "hindering normal operations of the National Assembly."
The GNP hopes to pass 85 bills by Thursday, when parliament's extraordinary
session ends.
The ruling and opposition parties have been particularly at odds over the free
trade deal with the U.S. and seven bills that would allow mainstream newspapers
and business conglomerates to buy an influential stake in terrestrial
broadcasters such as the state-owned Korea Broadcasting System and Munwha
Broadcasting Corp.
If the DP lawmakers are removed, the GNP could easily pass the bills as it holds
172 seats in the 298-member National Assembly.
South Korea and the U.S. signed the free trade agreement in 2007, with some
studies suggesting that it would increase their two-way trade of US$78 billion by
20 billion in coming years. The U.S. Congress has yet to ratify the pact.
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