WEEKEND PROTESTS OVER USFK EXPANSION UNEVENTFUL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001621 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/21/2014 TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KS SUBJECT: WEEKEND PROTESTS OVER USFK EXPANSION UNEVENTFUL REF: A. SEOUL 01605 ¶B. SEOUL 01518 Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (U) The much anticipated weekend protests against USFK expansion in Pyongtaek (refs) were relatively subdued. On Sunday, approximately 4,500 protestors, a much lower turnout than anticipated, encountered some 18,000 riot police dispatched to the Pyongtaek area. While there were minor skirmishes, resulting in 36 arrests and five injuries, the eight-hour demonstration ended uneventfully around mid-afternoon. The ROK police had cordoned off all roads leading to the expansion site, while helicopters dropped leaflets warning protestors that they would be charged under the ROK military judicial code if they entered the restricted area. Throughout the day, both the police and the protestors exercised restraint, limiting physical confrontation to coordinated pushing matches. Other weekend protests also were nonconfrontational. On Saturday, some 600 students protested in front of the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, calling for the resignation of Defense Minister Yoon. Also on Saturday, about 8,000 protestors held a peaceful candlelight vigil in downtown Seoul to protest the USFK expansion. ¶2. (C) According to MND interlocutors, the ROK police and military were under strict instructions to avoid violence, if at all possible. The ROKG had advanced information that the protestors would be equipped with cameras to capture any possible police brutality, and was determined to avoid violent altercation. ROK authorities were relieved that far fewer than the expected 10,000 demonstrators converged on Pyongtaek and that the protestors did not act violently as they had done the previous week. MND officials emphasized that senior ROK officials, most prominently Defense Minister Yoon, closely monitored the situation over the weekend, in light of the importance of the base relocation initiative to the U.S.-ROK alliance. They also expressed the hope that the USG would take note of the ROKG's diligent effort to move forward on the USFK realignment plan. ¶3. (C) Comment: Getting very little public sympathy following earlier more violent protests, the organizers apparently decided to try a less confrontational approach the past weekend. However, due to the ROK police's mature reaction and the ROKG's clear statement in support of USFK base consolidation, the protestors did not get any traction with the public sentiment. This is not the end, because construction does not begin for many months and we fully expect anti-USFK activists to look for opportunities to stir controversy. End Comment. MINTON