South Korean police said Sunday they arrested 457 union activists who clashed with riot police during a rally against the government's labour policies at which about 150 people were hurt.
On Saturday evening, about 7,000 labour activists rallied in Daejeon, a city about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Seoul, and clashed with riot police trying to stop them from marching into unauthorised areas, according to the Metropolitan Police Agency. During the rally, activists accused the government of failing to protect so-called non-regular workers _ part-time or contract employees whose job security and benefits are usually worse than those of regular workers.
Critics say companies are relying increasingly on temporary workers, who cost less and are easier to fire. Police said in a statement that activists used bamboo sticks against police who were trying to disperse them. The scuffle left about 100 police and 50 activists wounded, but none received life-threatening injuries, police said. Police said they arrested 457 protesters on charges of using violence against police and damaging about 100 police buses and other equipment.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, a union federation that organised the rally, said Sunday that police used violence first against activists who were "peacefully" marching in the streets.
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