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Seoul braces for protests at Asia-Europe summit
South Korean police today announced massive security precautions in a bid to stop a summit of Asian and European leaders next week becoming the next battleground for anti-globalisation protesters.
South Korean police today announced
massive security precautions in a bid to stop a summit of
Asian and European leaders next week becoming the next
battleground for anti-globalisation protesters.
The National Police Agency (NPA) said 29,500 officers, or
20 percent of the country's police force, would be put on alert from Saturday in Seoul, the venue for the third
Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit on October 20-21.
“Security is our prime concern as 25 leaders from Asia and Europe will take part in the summit,” Lee Byong-Gon, an NPA director, said. The authorities are concerned that Seoul could see protests like those which erupted at the world trade organisation conference in Seattle last November and the World Bank/International Monetary Fund meetings in Prague last month.
Police are ready to stop any protests near the ASEM convention center in Seoul, which will be guarded by 180 heavily armed commandos, 15 helicopters and armoured vehicles, Lee said. Thousands of riot police will be deployed round-the-clock next week within a two km radius around the ASEM conference hall to stop protests by non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
South Korean NGOs, unions, civic groups and students have formed an alliance led by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU ), a militant union organisation, to stage anti-globalisation demonstrations.
Bureau Report
“Security is our prime concern as 25 leaders from Asia and Europe will take part in the summit,” Lee Byong-Gon, an NPA director, said. The authorities are concerned that Seoul could see protests like those which erupted at the world trade organisation conference in Seattle last November and the World Bank/International Monetary Fund meetings in Prague last month.
Police are ready to stop any protests near the ASEM convention center in Seoul, which will be guarded by 180 heavily armed commandos, 15 helicopters and armoured vehicles, Lee said. Thousands of riot police will be deployed round-the-clock next week within a two km radius around the ASEM conference hall to stop protests by non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
South Korean NGOs, unions, civic groups and students have formed an alliance led by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU ), a militant union organisation, to stage anti-globalisation demonstrations.
Bureau Report