ISDS Case Map
Korea
South Korean police's brutal suppression toward ever-growing anti-US beef demonstrations by its citizen became the key issue as the confrontation between police and protesters got more fierce.
"Not just the beef deal, but the Lee Myung-bak government's policies are anti-working people and are not right," college student Ju Ha-na, who took part in a head-shaving ceremony in protest, said.
Tens of thousands of South Koreans are rallying Saturday against a plan to import US beef in the largest protest in weeks of anti-government demonstrations.
Farmers, professors and veterans, and citizens protest the government's announcement about U.S. beef import
As the government of South Korea notified the public that it will implement new import rules for US beef imports on May 29, civic organizations, labor groups and Internet users are strongly denouncing the move. They plan to take steps to block distribution and consumption of the American meat, while warning of a “nationwide, anti-government fight".
South Korea's political opposition asked the Constitutional Court on Friday to block U.S. beef from entering the country after the government announced it would resume imports within days under an accord with Washington.
South Korea lifted its ban on US beef imports Thursday despite growing protests over fears of mad cow disease as it struggles to ratify a sweeping free trade deal with the world's biggest economy.
South Korea's labour unions on Wednesday vowed to block the planned release of US beef from cold storage this week, as protests sparked by mad cow fears intensified.
The prospect of Seoul gaining early ratification of a free trade deal with Washington was dimming Tuesday, as opposition parties continued to boycott the last session of the outgoing parliament amid an uproar over scheduled US beef imports.
Sixty-eight protesters have been detained after participating in street demonstrations against South Korea's decision to resume imports of US beef, police said Monday.
