Thousands In Seoul Protest U.S. Beef

Fearing Mad Cow Disease, South Koreans Hold Massive Rally Against Imports From America

(AP)  Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in South Korea's capital Saturday against U.S. beef imports, as a pro-government group staged a counter-rally calling for an end to weeks of sometimes-violent protests.

Police estimated that 50,000 people jammed a plaza in front of Seoul's City Hall and an adjacent 14-lane boulevard, holding candles and anti-government signs. The protesters, including Catholic priests and Buddhist monks, sang songs and chanted slogans.

About 20,000 riot police were deployed around the site, but there were no immediate reports of clashes.

It was the second-largest rally in a series of near-daily protests held for the past two months prompted by concerns over the safety of American beef imports. A rally on June 10 drew a crowd estimated by police at about 80,000.

"Start renegotiation!" the protesters chanted, raising their candles to the sky. A large placard tied to balloons above them read "Complete renegotiation! Candles will prevail."

The demonstrators want an April agreement under which South Korea agreed to resume imports of U.S. beef rescinded and renegotiated.

The deal has sparked public outrage amid widespread perceptions, fanned in part by sensational media reports, that it exposes the country to a higher risk of mad cow disease.

The unrelenting demonstrations forced the government to negotiate an amendment to the deal with Washington last month to limit shipments to beef from younger cattle, which are believed less susceptible to mad cow disease.

The demonstrations dwindled in scale after the amendment, as violence during rallies drew criticism.

But they began drawing more people this week as religious leaders began joining them, saying they want to make sure the demonstrations are peaceful.

The government says a full renegotiation of the beef deal would hurt the country's international credibility.

The protesters are also denouncing other policies of President Lee Myung-bak, including his plan to privatize state corporations.

Lee, a conservative who took office in late February, apologized to the nation twice over his handling of the beef issue and replaced all his top advisers. He is now mulling sacking some Cabinet ministers.

Earlier Saturday, about 400 conservatives held a counter rally calling for an end to the anti-government protests.

"Stop illegal, violent candlelight demonstrations!" they shouted.

They accused their opponents of using fear of mad cow disease to undermine the conservative president.

Some demonstrators from the two opposing groups traded taunts as riot police stood between them to prevent any clashes. The pro-government demonstrators dispersed voluntarily after several hours.

South Korea banned imports of American beef in 2003, when the first of three cases of mad cow disease was discovered in the United States. Before the ban, South Korea was Nebraska's second-largest beef market, valued at $108 million annually.

U.S. beef went on sale last week for the first time under the latest import deal. But it is not widely available because large supermarket chains and most restaurants are reluctant to sell or serve it for fear of a public backlash.

Both the U.S. and South Korean governments insist U.S. beef is safe.

[thgdriver]

I remember back in the early 50''s when they were eating dirt flavored water. They are a bunch of ingrates just like the French. Bring our 25000 troops home now!

[guest173]

I lived in South Korea for just a few years, but after seeing how low quality their own domestic products are (my counterfeit nikes always fell apart in 3 months, the bottoms just come right off), I am sure they are used to that kind of treatment and think American quality is like that, sometimes it is, but if they pay attention to the recalls the exposure risk is probably the same as the mercury risk in the fish they are probably consuming too.

[cbsfan73]

"Well, what happened was the whole world saw one of our beef packers using a fork lift to move sick crippled old cows to the killing pens. Not good advertising. What we need to do is to restrict videos here in the USA so that these kind of things don''''t get published. No one but government officials should be allowed to own cameras and cell phones."

Posted by lindh4
You would give up your right to know to protect commerce? Ignorance is bliss?

[itgranny]

geesh! Quit sending it or just label the stuff, let it be the "bargain" meat along side the tested product reflective of the extra cost of raising, marketing and testing. If they are that scared of mad cow disease, get themselves a pressure cooker and cook the heck out of it.

Every time you put anything in your mouth to eat, you''re taking a chance.

If they''re that scared of it, just say no.

[extremophil]

So shut up and eat your rice. I won''t shove any hamburgers down your throat (although you can shove whatever you want wherever you want).

[lindh4]

Well, what happened was the whole world saw one of our beef packers using a fork lift to move sick crippled old cows to the killing pens. Not good advertising. What we need to do is to restrict videos here in the USA so that these kind of things don''t get published. No one but government officials should be allowed to own cameras and cell phones.

[ioweign]

Wow

US!! Don''t force Mad Cow beef on Koreans.

Well

Korea!! Don''t force KIA and Hyundai on Americans...

[sociald63]

they are gonna eat the dogs that they were cloning

[kamsack50]

It''s funny they never protest about North Korea. I think many secretly(?) want reunification with the north. Of course, they imagine they''d always be free.
South Korea is in a left-wing mania, using any issue they can to protest the US.

[nssherlock1]

They are holding out for our dogs and cats!

[incog-nito]

jboxton: Maybe because you''re an ignorant idiot.

[jboxton]

Funny...10s of thousands of people protested and you couldn''t tell one from the next.