Tens of thousands rally in S.Korea against G20 summit

SEOUL: Tens of thousands of South Korean activists protested Sunday against the Group of 20 summit to be held in Seoul this week, with police on high alert for violence in the capital's streets.

Labour campaigners and other activists chanted slogans and songs at Seoul Plaza outside the city hall, surrounded by thousands of riot police.

"We will continue the struggle to raise the minimum wage, solve the youth unemployment issue... We will never allow only 20 elite countries to decide the whole world's future," the organisers chanted on the stage.

Police said about 20,000 people took part in the protest, while the organisers -- who included the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions, a major workers' rights group -- estimated the number at 40,000.

Some wore red vests with a slogan reading: "Against the G20 that hampers labour rights and creates unstable jobs". Others held up mock traffic signs saying "Stop G20".

Campaigners distributed leaflets urging people to "rise up against neoliberalism and globalisation".

There was no violence in the first two hours after the rally began at 3:00 pm (0600 GMT) but police expected clashes, a city police spokesman told AFP.

"Organisers are saying they will march towards the city centre against police warnings. We are expecting some clashes to take place soon," he said.

More than 8,000 police were deployed around the city centre, he added.

Seoul will host world leaders including US President Barack Obama for the G20 gathering from November 11-12, in what is considered the nation's biggest appearance on the world stage since the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

The country's police chief Cho Hyun-Oh said last month that police would be on high alert for demonstrators rallying around the summit venue, cautioning that South Korean protests "tend to be very violent and intense".

In addition to some 50,000 police officers, tens of thousands of troops will be deployed to key public facilities and mountain areas overlooking the summit venue, while naval forces and the coastguard will monitor vessels at sea.

Police have already drawn up strict security measures, creating a special unit to protect the G20 leaders and surrounding the venue with security fences over two metres (seven feet) high.

A special law came into force this month giving police greater power to break up street rallies and allowing a military presence in public places.