SEOUL, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of protesters, who opposed U.S. beef
imports into South Korea, clashed violently with riot police in downtown Seoul
until early Sunday morning, leaving over 100 people injured.
In the first weekend rally after Seoul implemented its agreement with
Washington to resume U.S. beef imports, about 15,000 protesters gathered around
Seoul City Hall Saturday night and marched towards the presidential office,
Yonhap news agency reported.
Confronted with a barricade of police buses, the protesters -- mostly
members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, a labor umbrella group, and
other hard-line and liberal civic organizations -- offered stubborn resistance.
Demonstrators hurled rocks, plastic bottles and other miscellaneous objects
towards riot police.
As the number of protesters was reduced to around 3,000 amid drizzling rain
in the early hours of Sunday morning, police initiated a heavy-handed crackdown
to disperse crowds occupying major streets of downtown Seoul.
Riot police fired water cannons and sprayed fire extinguishers, and were
seen wielding plastic shields and night sticks against the protesters in
scuffles. Some demonstrators retaliated by destroying police buses and firing
water from street hydrants towards the police.
As a result of the hours-long confrontation, about 30 riot policemen and an
estimated 100 protesters were injured, with many of them sent to nearby
hospitals. The clash was the most violent since the protest rallies began about
50 days ago, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
The police agency said it detained about 60 demonstrators accused of using
excessive violence against riot police.
The police have shifted to a tougher stance after President Lee Myung-bak,
Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and ruling party leaders declared that they would
not tolerate violent and illegal street demonstrations.
Several opposition party lawmakers again attempted to act as a buffer
against the violent clash, standing at the forefront of the protesters.
Organizers vowed to continue their daily candlelight protest rally on
Sunday evening to pressure the government to completely give up the U.S. beef
import deal.
Rice says beef issue not to affect
alliance with Seoul
SEOUL, June 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice said Saturday that the Seoul-Washington alliance will not
be affected by the ongoing troubles over U.S. beef imports.
Rice said that the U.S. beef is safe and her
government will continue efforts to win consumer confidence here, Yonhap news
agency reported. Full story
S Korea asks for U.S. Congress
approval of FTA by year end
SEOUL, June 28 (Xinhua) -- South Korean
President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday urged the U.S. administration to persuade
the U.S. Congress to approve the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA)by
the end of this year.
Lee made the request during a meeting with
visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the presidential office,
Cheong Wa Dae, the Yonhap news agency said. Full story
S Korean FM meets his U.S. counterpart
SEOUL, June 28 (Xinhua) -- South Korean Foreign
Minister Yu Myung-hwan met here Saturday with his American counterpart
Condoleezza Rice amid a vehement protest over imports of U.S. beef.
Rice arrived in Seoul earlier in the day after attending a
meeting of the Group of Eight (G-8) foreign ministers in Japan. Full story
S Korea resumes quarantine inspections
of U.S. beef
SEOUL, June 27 (Xinhua) -- South Korea restarted
quarantine inspections of U.S. beef on Friday in line with a new import
agreement, with the American product expected to hit local store shelves as
early as next week.
South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that defying
intense public concern over the safety of American beef, Seoul implemented
Thursday the April 18 deal and a protocol restricting imports to beef from
cattle 30 months old and less. Full story
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South Korean riot police confront
protesters following a violent overnight anti-US beef rally in Seoul.
South Korea announced it will resume US beef imports from June 26 after
negotiating extra safeguards against mad cow disease, despite protests by
tens of thousands over recent weeks.(Xinhua/AFP Photo)
Photo
Gallery>>> |
S Korea protesters block shipment of
U.S. beef imports for 2nd day
SEOUL, June 27 (Xinhua) -- South Korean protesters
continued Friday for second day physically blocking the shipment of U.S. beef
stored at piers nationwide, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Hundreds of unionists from the South Korean Confederation
of Trade Unions (KCTU), the more militant of the nation's two umbrella labor
groups, gathered at major piers across the country, to prevent the distribution
of the U.S. beef. Full story
S Korea President calls for ending
dispute over U.S. beef safety
SEOUL, June 26 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bakon Thursday urged
the country to end a protracted dispute over the safety of U.S. beef and launch
efforts for economic revival.
The government issued earlier Thursday a ministerial
notice on the resumption of American beef imports. Full story
S Korea resumes U.S. beef imports amid
strong protests
SEOUL, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of angry South
Koreans continued overnight rallies in central Seoul till Thursday morning, as
their government pushed for the implementation of the controversial deal with
the U.S. on the resumption of beef imports.
Opponents called for the full renegotiation of the pact
signed on the eve of the Camp David summit between President Lee Myung-bak and
his counterpart George W. Bush in April. Full story
