Shin Koo-Bum's dramatic gesture, captured live on television, was intended as a protest against a new agriculture bill.

Several thousand angry farmers, some armed with steel pipes and stones, clashed with police outside the parliament building after the incident.

Mr Shin, 57, the head of the National Livestock Co-operatives Federation, was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors said the 40cm (16 inch) cut on his abdomen was "not serious enough to threaten his life".

They said about 60 stitches were needed to close the wound.

"The operation went well and Shin is maintaining normal blood pressure, pulse and temperature. He is conscious and can speak and expects to recover within two weeks," said Dr Kim Eun-Kook.

In the clashes with riot police, eyewitnesses said about 50 people were injured. They said about 250 protestors were taken away by police during the morning, and dozens more in a further clash in the afternoon.

Bill passed

Despite the apparent suicide attempt, the National Assembly's Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Affairs Committee pushed ahead with a vote on the bill.

The government wants the nationalised agriculture, livestock, forestry, ginseng and fisheries co-operatives to become a single enterprise to be known as the Korea Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives.

It still requires approval by a full assembly session to become law.

Correspondents say the farmers fear the bill will result in job cuts and loss of influence for co-operatives. They have threatened an indefinite nationwide strike.

In a statement, Mr Shin's association called for the abolition of the bill and the resignation of the agriculture minister, warning that other members of the group could conduct similar protests.

"The government is attempting to pass the law that merges the nationalised co-operatives into a single unit through ignoring livestock groups' opinion and by creating an horrific atmosphere," they said in a statement.