Let Us Block the Mad Cow by Force of the People

South Korean people's anti-government struggle to oppose Lee Myung-bak gentries’ moves to open market to American beef is further intensifying day after day.

On May 31 a candlelight rally was held in Seoul with attending of more than 100,000 people from different social standings including workers, farmers, students from across south Korea, members of the People's Measure Council to Oppose the Overall Import of American Beef and other civic organizations.

An “appeal to the people” made public at the rally stressed that the candlelight struggle of different social strata to check the import of American beef fraught with mad cow disease is a historic resistance to safeguard the people's health and overthrow the Lee Myung-bak regime.

The appeal called for a candlelit struggle participating in by one million people on the occasion of the Day of the June Uprising which broke out against the dictatorial regime in 1987 and stressed to spread the candlelight of anger through all parts of south Korea and to defend the sovereignty by the grand candlelit march.

After the rally the participants staged a demo towards Cheongwadae (presidential office) chanting slogans “Invalidate the negotiations, retract the notice of the import of American beef!”, “Lee Myung-bak, step down!”, “Down with dictatorship!”, etc.

Passengers on cars as well as passersby on the streets waved hands extending support to the demonstrators.

The security authorities, much embarrassed, mobilized 12,000-strong police force of 106 companies and many police buses and ran amuck in suppressing the demo firing water canon and wielding shields. However, the enraged demonstrators staged a violent struggle, jumping into the police buses hauling down the policemen who were firing water canon randomly.

That day the fascist police took away more than 100 citizens including women, younger middle and high school students.

Notwithstanding, the demonstrators undauntedly continued the candle struggle to the dawn of the next day.

Candlelit rallies and demos against the import of American beef were staged simultaneously in Gwangju, Ulsan, Daegu and other areas on the same day.

If the Lee Myung-bak regime does not retract its moves to import the American beef at once, lending ear to the angry shouts of the people who are opposing the import of American beef which threats the public health, it would face a bigger resistance and a ruin eventually.