Some 4,000 South Korean farmers launched their anti-government rally in Seoul, Dec. 1, causing major traffic congestion in the central Seoul area. (Photo: Xinhua)

(Photo: Xinhua)

(Photo: Xinhua)

(Photo: Xinhua)

    SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Some 4,000 South Korean farmers launched their anti-government rally Thursday in Seoul, causing major traffic congestion in the central Seoul area.

    Some 10 farmers were injured and several police cars were damaged in the rally, reported South Korean major news agency Yonhap.

    The rally was held after South Korean National Assembly ratified a bill of raising the country's rice import quota to 7.96p ercent of its total domestic consumption by 2014 from the current low level of 4 percent.

    The deal was made between South Korea and nine-rice-exporting nations at the end of 2004 according to regulations of the World Trade Organization.

    While, in return, South Korea is to be given another 10-year grace period in introducing tariffs on rice importation.

    In recent weeks, South Korean farmers have staged demonstrations almost every day in Seoul and various locations across the country to express their dissatisfaction of the bill. Enditem