Rows of tractors hanging up placards and flags with such messages as “Park Guen-hye, step down” and “Guarantee stable rice price” are seen in Anseong city, Gyeonggi-do, on Nov. 25.
[Anseong, South Korea/ By Zhezhu Jin, The Japan Agricultural News Staff Writer]
More than a thousand farming tractors gathered in Anseong city, Gyeonggi-do, in the suburb of Seoul on Nov. 25, as farmers from Gyeongsangnam-do and Jeollanam-do, the two southernmost provinces of South Korea, traveled north, heading towards the Blue House where the presidential office and residence are located. On their way to Seoul, they protested against President Park Geun-hye and her administration’s failure in farm policy, claiming that their business conditions are getting severer than ever because of plunging rice prices and market liberalization under free trade agreements signed with other countries.
The farmers left Jeollanam-do on Nov. 15 and Gyeongsangnam-do on Nov. 16 to take part in a rally by farmers nationwide held on Nov. 25. While driving to Seoul, they conducted candle demonstrations and demanded that the president step down.
The Korean Peasants League, a nationwide farmers’ association, said they came up with the idea of tractor demonstrations in order to “cultivate” the field called the Park administration and sow new seeds, adding that they will continue protesting until they succeed in pulling Park down.