Getting the Goods, Delaying Bad Trade Deal, with Direct Action

As you may recall from earlier posts, the opposition Democratic Party (DP) in South Korea is not timid about taking direct action in standing up, sitting down, or scaling, climbing and even enduring the occasional chemical spraying for its fair trade principles, and against the US-S. Korea FTA.

The Grand National Party (GNP, not the GOP) was looking to railroad through the unpopular NAFTA-style trade deal with the US, so DP legislators occupied the Parliament and blockaded entrances, paralyzing the government for over 10 days. Then the GNP unleashed the guards on the MP demonstrators, which according to Reuters, caused quite the scene:

Scores of South Korean security personnel and opposition MPs were injured on Saturday when guards broke up an opposition blockade outside the main floor of parliament. The opposition still occupies other key parliament facilities and has threatened to block voting on some measures it calls "evil".

And the continued protests are getting the goods:

The GNP had offered to delay votes on controversial measures, such as revamping media ownership laws and the U.S. trade deal, if it would help in the quick implementation of other reforms.

There is some great video of the scuffles, courtesy of the BBC.

In watching I can't help but be reminded that its the actions of our lawmakers that count, not just their words. South Korean fair traders are taking action in their own way, and all eyes are on the tomorrow's 111th Congress and the incoming Obama Administration to see that they act in their own way to fulfill their fair trade promise to the US electorate.