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Dozens hurt in South Korea beef protest
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-06-07 16:44 The spokesman said Saturday it was not clear whether or when the president would accept the resignations. South Korea's government said last week it would begin allowing imports this week, but withdrew the plan at the last minute Monday, apparently fearful of a public backlash. The government also said it has asked the United States to refrain from exporting beef from cattle 30 months of age or older. Still, it stopped short of directly asking Washington for a renegotiation of the deal and failed to calm public anger. On Saturday, President Lee ruled out any formal renegotiation, saying it might spark a trade dispute that could affect the country's export-driven economy, especially the key auto and semiconductor industries. "We are a trade-dependent nation," Lee said during a meeting with Buddhist leaders. "Demanding renegotiation will cause an enormous problem due to trade friction." Lee said he would seek other ways to keep beef from older cattle from entering the country, and that the United States is "actively cooperating" with Seoul to find a solution. US beef has been banned from South Korea for most of the past 4 1/2 years since the first case of mad cow disease in the US was discovered in late 2003. Two subsequent cases were found. Scientists believe the disease spreads when farmers feed cattle recycled meat and bones from infected animals. The US banned recycled feeds in 1997. In humans, eating meat products contaminated with the illness is linked to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare and fatal malady blamed for the deaths of over 150 people worldwide, mostly in Britain. |
