Koreans protest over US free-trade pact

Riot police used water cannon to break up a noisy, but peaceful street protest in Seoul against a proposed free trade agreement between South Korea and the US.

Police armed with shields and truncheons fired a water cannon into the crowd of about 2,000 protesters, mostly farmers, workers and students, after they ignored a warning to disperse as temperatures dropped to freezing.

South Korea and the US say an agreement would boost economic growth and trade, but opponents say it would harm farmers’ and workers’ livelihoods.

“We will keep protesting because we are right,” activist Oh Jong-ryul told the crowd before riot police moved in.