>> conference until they make it to the Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Yang Kyung-kyu, of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, warned that yesterday's actions, which saw a hardcore of about 50 farmers clash with police, would increase throughout the week.
But Chief Superintendent Alfred Ma Wai-luk of the force's public relations unit could not rule out that protesters would be stopped from marching from Victoria Park.
We are very well prepared and we have put in place measures for different scenarios, he said.
Up to yesterday, no protesters had been arrested - part of police tactics not to enflame the situation.
Mr Ma said: We needed to consider the cultural background and previous behaviour and whether it was wise to resort to action like arrests.
Protesters and police changed tactics yesterday from the first day of clashes, seemingly testing each other's strengths and weaknesses.
The Korean farmers and unionists did not use diversionary tactics as they had on Tuesday when 100 protesters jumped into Victoria Harbour just before others rushed the police line.
following yesterday's march through Wan Chai, police moved quickly to separate the hardline Koreans at the front of the march from the main body. They prevented the larger group from entering the cargo handling area in Wan Chai, stalling them in Marsh Road, while stopping the Koreans' progress towards the Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The Korean group prepared for the impending clashes by covering their mouths with scarves and handkerchiefs and stretching cling film over their eyes to shield against pepper spray.
Hundreds of police were already in place with full-body plastic shields, creating an impenetrable human wall across Hung Hing Road. The previous day, riot police had stayed out of view as the marchers entered the protest zone, running to block the road only as the protesters left the demonstration area and tried to march on the convention centre.
Some 9,000 officers are on duty to deal with crowd control, traffic and security during the <<>> conference. Exactly how many Police Tactical Unit officers - the riot police - are on hand specifically to control the protesters has not been revealed.
The Koreans, reacting with military precision to the orders of demonstration leaders, tried repeatedly to push back the police, but seemed unsurprised and unperturbed when they made little progress.
However, they managed to seize up to 15 shields from police, which they returned to the officers once they abandoned their protest.
Mr Ma said: Our defences were not affected by the snatching of the shields. Our strategy is effective.
Observers say the protesters are testing police strengths, gauging how they react and how much force they use in dealing with different strategies as they prepare for major clashes at the weekend.
For the highly disciplined Korean protesters, every movement forward, attack and retreat is commanded by their leader.
Largely, they follow my calls and gestures on what to do. And the orders are well understood by their hearts, said Kwak No-chung, of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, who commanded yesterday's protest.
Although Mr Kwak denied they had a detailed protest plan, he said the protesters had a group meeting almost every evening to work out their tactics and strategy.
He refused to be drawn on whether or not the group had changed its protest strategy, reiterating that many of the actions happened spontaneously.
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