 Anti-U.S. beef protesters, right, and counter-demonstrators argue by the Cheonggye Stream, Saturday. The stream was restored in 2005 by then Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak. / Korea Times Photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Candlelight rallies against American beef imports are expected to weaken as voices calling for the protest stoppage are getting louder.
Since last Monday, religious groups such as Catholic priests, Buddhist monks and Protestant clergymen have taken turns to organize rallies in central Seoul to call on the government to renegotiate the Seoul-Washington beef deal.
With the protest culminating Saturday, however, the groups have taken a wait-and-see attitude to grant the government time to respond to their cries.
Police estimated about 50,000 protesters took part in the Saturday demonstration, while rally organizers put the number at more than 500,000.
``Now it's time to talk with the government. It's a heart-wrenching moment to see the demonstration continuing for about two months,'' said Rev. Hyojin, spokesman for Buddhist monks organizing the anti-U.S. beef rally.
But the People's Association for Measures Against Mad Cow Disease reaffirmed its resolve to fight until the administration accepts its renegotiation demand.
``People aren't satisfied with the government's extra negotiations since it failed to produce substantial improvements. It enraged people and drew the second largest crowd to downtown Seoul,'' Jang Dae-hyun, spokesman for the association. ``We want a renegotiation. The protests will continue, even stronger, unless the government accepts our demand.''
In the meantime, conservative groups' call for stopping the rally is putting additional pressure on anti-U.S. beef demonstrators.
On Saturday afternoon, some 400 members of the Citizens Alliance Against Radical Candlelit Demonstrations gathered Cheonggye Plaza, central Seoul, to oppose the candlelight protests. ``We should light up candles for North Koreans, not for U.S. beef,'' said Lee Tae-hwan, a key member of the alliance.
Several organizations working for North Korean defectors teamed up with the alliance.
``We take no stance on the issues being debated here today, nor on the controversy over American beef. We understand the concern that many individuals have. We are not here as foreigners, or here to protest against you,'' said Adrian Hong, an executive director of Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), an international NGO devoted to raising awareness about North Korean issues. ``The North Korean people have seen suffering hardship on a scale that begs belief.'' He repeatedly urged people to pay more attention to human rights issues in the reclusive state.
``Now, cyber space is under the control of anti-U.S. beef protesters. It's a matter of time to see the real society devastated by them. I participated in the counter-rally to prevent it,'' said Lee Gyu-dae, a senior citizen taking part in the protest. An impromptu speaker said, ``The government has never forced people to consume U.S. meat. Therefore, there would be no problem if those who hate U.S. meat take only Korean beef.''
During the rallies, counter-protesters and those against American beef imports exchanged four-letter-words and several physical clashes took place until it was over around 7:40 p.m. despite hundreds of riot police dispatched to the site to prevent potential clashes between the two groups.
The alliance plans to continue organizing the demonstration until anti-American beef protesters blow out their candlelight on their own.
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