“Pragmatic” government in dilemma

According to KBS, the south Korean government and the ruling party held an emergency meeting on May 4 to discuss measures to cope with the people’s growing anti-government campaign over the resumption of import of American beef.

The opposition, public circles and residents are now staging the anti-government campaign almost everyday throughout south Korea in opposition to the conclusion of the humiliating agreement on the resumption of American beef import.

The New Democratic Party for Great Unity said as to the result of the President’s trips to the US and Japan “Great boast, mad cow roast.”

Dubbing beef negations a typical example of tributary diplomacy, the representative of the Democratic Labor Party said that the conclusion of the agreement is tantamount to sacrificing the people’s health for trade when taking into consideration their poor living conditions.

A candlelit gathering has been held in Seoul streets every night since April 23 in protest against Lee Myung-bak’s foreign policy and on April 26, a rally was held in front of Gwanghwa Gate in Seoul under the sponsorship of the headquarters of the all-people movement for the impeachment against Lee Myung-bak.

On the evening of May 2 more than 20, 000 supporters of the impeachment held a candlelit rally in Seoul under the theme of “Mad cow for you”.

The following evening a candlelit rally was held in Seoul with the attendance of some 20, 000 members of the Democratic Labor Party, the headquarters of the all-people movement for checking the conclusion of south Korea-US free trade agreement and other political parties and public organizations, citizens and students. The speakers said that according to the personal policy of the Lee regime, those who did not commit a crime against the people cannot become a minister, demanding the resignation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. They urged the government officials to eat American beef with the risk of mad cow disease for ten years before importing it.

The south Korean people are in a fury as Lee Myung-bak formed the government with those who made a fortune through irregularities and corruption in disregard of the people’s sentiment as soon as he too office, pursued a partial business policy while talking about the revival of the economy ostensibly, thus aggravating the economic situation and the people’s living condition, and opened up the beef market to expose the people’s health and life to threat and drive stockbreeding to bankruptcy.

They ridiculed president Lee, chanting slogans such as “Lee is a spokesman for the US stockbreeding not president of south Korea,” “Offer minced raw beef to Lee and the Grand National Party,” “Lee is a mad cow,” “Impeach against Lee,” “Send mad beef to the presidential mansion” “Put bulldozer, (Lee Myung-bak) a crony of Bush, out of service!”

The south Korean media reported that the ongoing petition for the impeachment against him will spread throughout south Korea and to all social strata.

However hard they may try to take countermeasures, the Lee group will be unable to appease the people.

The day of the regime, which turns its back on the public sentiment and deceives and makes a mockery of people, are numbered.