Korean professional protesters farmer and the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition held anti-FTA demonstrations in Washington today. To their credit, the protests were reportedly peaceful. What caught my eye was this line in a CBS piece on the protests:
Negotiation experts are suggesting that the anti-FTA demonstrations could be appropriately used during the trade talks. Prof. Kim Ki-hong of Busan National University said, “By conveying the mood of the protests against the liberalization of trade in agriculture goods, [negotiators] could lead the negotiation atmosphere in a favorable direction.”
You know, I’d pay good money to see a Korean trade negotiator try that.
3 Comments
That is a tactic that Korea seems to have used many times in the past, but surely US negotiators have caught on by now, though I would not bet money on it.
Ah yes, the ANSWER coalition, always working in the best interests of others versus those of the US.
i like the “bush go home” banner they’re carrying in the pic. i truly hope that was from a recent protest at the capital.