Although police had declared the rally illegal, protesters began gathering in central Seoul around 3:30 p.m. After some 23,000 riot police blocked the roads surrounding Seoul Plaza to halt the rally, demonstrators then occupied roads between Namdaemun (South Gate) and City Hall. Later the protestors moved to Taepyoung-ro street and called for abolition of the Korea-U.S. FTA, fair treatment for non-regular workers and abolition of the National Security Law.

Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and radical civic groups protest against the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, the non-regular workers bills and the prolonged presence of Korean troops in Iraq near City Hall in downtown Seoul on Sunday.

Some protestors climbed atop police buses and scuffled with police while others hurled chunks of pavement. Some protestors set fire to handbills in the road. Police responded with blasts from water cannons. Police blocked roads to Gwanghwamun and City Hall for three hours to prevent protesters from gathering, leading to traffic jams. Some drivers downtown before the rally started couldn't get out of the area until it ended around 8 p.m.

Other rallies took place in South Gyeongsang Province, Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province and Chungcheong Province. Police said they arrested 140 protesters and 10 police were injured.

(englishnews@chosun.com )