SEOUL, Nov. 11 (Yonhap) — An estimated 20,000 blue-collar workers, farmers and college students staged a massive rally in downtown Seoul on Sunday in protest of a South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement and government legislation that they claim discriminates against non-regular workers.

The demonstrators, mostly members of the militant Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and other radical civic organizations, flanked by farmers and college students, occupied major streets surrounding Seoul City Hall Sunday afternoon, paralyzing traffic in downtown Seoul for hours.

They chanted various slogans calling for “abolition of the Korea-U.S. FTA,” “no discrimination against non-regular workers,” “withdrawal of South Korean troops from Iraq,” “abolition of the anti-communist National Security Law,” and “easing of youth unemployment.” The rally participants also attempted to march towards the U.S. embassy in Gwanghwamun.

Police, declaring the rally illegal, mobilized about 23,000 riot police and 600 police buses to block all the roads occupied by the demonstrators. Police said one police officer and one demonstrator were lightly injured amid the confrontation.

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