Anti-US beef rally continues in S. Korea

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Source: CCTV.com | 06-09-2008 20:49

Thousands of South Korean protesters clashed with police on Sunday, part of a three-day demonstration against the government's decision to resume imports of US beef.

South Korea finds itself in a deepening political crisis over US beef imports.

South Korea finds itself in a deepening political crisis over US beef imports.

40 thousand people gathered in downtown Seoul early on Sunday to protest an April agreement to resume US beef imports. Protesters claim the agreement fails to protect Koreans against beef potentially tainted with mad cow disease. They've taken to the streets to demand changes prohibiting imports of beef from cattle 30 months of age or older. They claim that President Lee Myung-bak has ignored their concerns about food safety, giving in to US demands to ensure passage of a bilateral free trade deal between the two countries.

President Lee Myung-bak's government has been battered every day for weeks over the controversial agreement. The deal allows US beef from older cattle to enter South Korea, and experts say such beef is more likely to be infected with mad cow disease.

South Korea finds itself in a deepening political crisis over US beef imports.

US beef has been absent from South Korea for most of the past four and a half years, after the first case of mad cow disease was found in the US in late 2003.

Earlier this week, South Korea announced it had asked the United States to stop sending it beef from older cattle.

But the government fell short of asking Washington directly for a re-negotiation of the agreement.

Seven of Lee's senior secretaries offered their resignations on Friday, taking responsibility for the growing public criticism of the administration's unpopular beef deal. Lee has yet to accept their resignations.

Editor:Du Xiaodan