S Korea farmers clash with police

Home-grown rice costs four times as much as foreign imports

Thousands of South Korean farmers have fought running battles with riot police in the streets of Seoul after a rally against foreign rice imports.

Protesters threw stones and burning torches at officers, who fought back with bamboo staves and water cannon.

The South Korean government has said it is close to an agreement giving foreign rice producers a greater market share.

Many of the country's farmers object to the move because foreign rice is far cheaper than locally-grown grain.

South Korea has been in talks with rice-exporting nations including the US, China, Australia, Thailand and Canada.

It is under pressure from the World Trade Organisation to ease rice import restrictions.

South Korea is under pressure from the WTO to allow more imports

The farmers' demand for a referendum before the market is opened up has been rejected by the government.

Rice growers fear cheap imports of the staple will lead to sharp price cuts, threatening the livelihoods of about a million farming families.

About 15,000 farmers attended the mostly peaceful sit-down rally in Seoul, organised by the Korean Peasants' League.

About a third of the protesters went on clash with riot police, who used tear gas and shields to try to contain them in barricaded streets.

Rice grown in South Korea costs about four times as much as imported grain, mainly because it is produced on a small scale in an unfavourable climate.