72-Hour Rally

The Anti-Mad Cow Association organized candlelight vigils across the country Tuesday on the 100th day of the Lee Myung-bak administration.

A total of 25,600 protesters participated in rallies held in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, Daegu and Daejeon.

Regarding Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Chung Woon-chun’s announcement, the association said, “It intends to purposely downplay and distort reality as if the issue of import inspection rights and the right to protect public health is limited to U.S. beef coming from cows older than 30 months. The government should annul the entire negotiation results and begin renegotiations immediately.”

The police said that about 20,000 protesters showed up in front of Seoul Plaza for the vigil, with hundreds more taking to the streets in other provinces across the nation.

The Anti-Mad Cow Association designated June 5 through 7 as “days for public movement,” announcing that it would hold 72-hour all-night rallies with the participation of hundreds of thousands of protesters. The association is also planning to hold nationwide candlelight vigils with the participation of one million protesters on June 10, the “June Uprising” day.

Police said, “As controversies spike over riot police suppressing protesters violently, there is high chance that police and protesters might clash again in a large-scale rally.”

On the issue of police violence, National Police Agency Commissioner General Eo Cheong-soo said he intends to provide stronger training on human rights and safety for riot police officers.

However, he also said that his officers have been instructed to respond in a stern manner to illegal behavior, including marches to the presidential office.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Mad Cow Association said, “We decided to file a lawsuit against Eo and others for violating laws on punishment, under the name of 12 victims of police violence and nine plaintiffs, including Oh Jong-ryeol, co-chairman of Solidarity of Korean Progressives.”

The association also included Commissioner of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Han Jin-hee and other high-ranking police officers in the lawsuit.

However, Lee Na-rae, the 22-year-old Seoul National University student known as the victim in video footage which showed a riot police officer stepping on her head, has chosen not to participate in the lawsuit.

turtle@donga.com