A South Korean farmer, who was staging a protest during the WTO ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico, committed suicide by disembowelment Thursday morning Korean Time.

Lee Kyung Hae, a former chairman of the Korean Farmers' Alliance, was protesting along with officials of non-governmental organizations and was attempting to enter the hall of the WTO ministerial meeting when he suddenly disembowelled himself. He was immediately taken to a hospital in Cancun city, where he died from massive blood loss.

Lee was from North Cholla province, and was active in agricultural issues. He had been honored as an exemplary farmer in 1989 and had served as a member of the provincial assembly.