Day 3: Protests against U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement

The writer is the national staff coordinator for the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) and a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. She filed this report from the third day of protests outside the negotiations of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement in Seattle.

Two major coalitions have formed to oppose the KORUS FTA and organize protest activities during the negotiations: the Korean Alliance Against Korea-US FTA (KoA), based in South Korea, and Korean Americans Against War And Neoliberalism (KAWAN), based in the United States. The ANSWER Coalition and the Party for Socialism and Liberation are among over 100 local, national and international endorsing organizations for the week of events.

PSLweb.org has been posting daily reports on protests opposing the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement taking place this week in Seattle.

Click here to read the report from the first day of protests, Wed., Sept. 6
Click here to read the report from the second day of protests, Thurs., Sept. 7

On the third of four days of planned negotiations for the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, protesters began their day

South Korean and American farmers hold a joint press conference in front of the KORUS FTA negotiations’ site. Photo: Diana Alfanash

chanting, blowing whistles, beating drums and yelling while they stood outside of the negotiations’ site. They made it impossible for the South Korean and U.S. government negotiators to continue their meetings without hearing the voice of the people.

A press conference to advance the voices of different sectors represented in the South Korean anti-FTA delegation took place on the sidewalk in front of the building. Women, farmers and workers spoke about the way in which the KORUS FTA would affect them.

Protesters then marched through a busy downtown area and then through the famous and bustling Pike Place Farmer’s Market where they had marched the day before. After arriving at a nearby park, a cultural rally took place featuring songs, dances and chants of resistance and opposition to the KORUS FTA.

The main event of the day was the Sam Bo Il Bae march, a special type of protest that was carried out in Washington, D.C. during the first round of negotiations in June, at the protests against the 2005 Hong Kong meeting of the World Trade Organization and at many other international events.

Government negotiators flee protests

The announcement for the event explained, “Sam Bo Il Bae literally means ‘three steps, one bow.’ Originally born from the Buddhist tradition, it is a uniquely Korean form of protest with a long history in Korean resistance movements. Participants will do the entire march by taking three steps, then a full bow on their knees, touching the ground. In the process, they demonstrate and renew their deep commitment to the struggle. Sam Bo Il Bae is silent, slow, physically demanding, and extremely powerful.”

Beginning directly in front of the negotiations’ site, participants carried out the Sam Bo Il Bae protest alongside the

Sam Bo Il Bae: “… one bow.” Photo: Sarah Sloan

building and then through busy shopping areas of downtown Seattle. The march traveled three quarters of a mile and lasted for over two hours. The march then returned to the negotiations’ site and participants held a celebratory march, skipping and running around the negotiations’ site repeatedly while drumming, chanting and cheering.

After holding a closing rally directly in front of the building, the anti-FTA delegation began to walk back to their hotel. As they started to cross the street and walk away from the building, someone spotted members of the South Korean government negotiating team leaving. Protesters quickly ran back as police hurried the negotiators back into the building.

People chanted and drummed at the police line. Next, the group marched to the Westin Hotel where the negotiators are staying. Arriving just as some of them were entering, protesters formed a picket line that covered the entire front side of the hotel, keeping a loud and visible presence that the negotiators could surely hear.

As the protesters marched through the streets during events, and walked on the sidewalks to and from events and their hotel—always continuing to chant and drum—many people would cheer and honk in support, and come over to ask for additional information.

After three days of sustained protests, it is clear that the presence of the delegation from South Korea, as well as the broad and organized opposition to the KORUS FTA, is well known to people locally.

This Sat., Sept. 9 will be the final day of negotiations. Several events are planned for the final day of the protests. The closing rally and march will assemble at the Federal Building at 1:00 pm.

Protests are planned for October in Seoul, South Korea during the fourth round of negotiations, and will be organized during a fifth round now scheduled for December in the United States.