YONHAP NEWS

(2nd LD) Police clash with protesters blocking shipment of U.S. beef imports

   BUSAN, June 26 (Yonhap) -- At least one person was reportedly injured Thursday as police tried to remove protesters who blocked a road to prevent the distribution of U.S. beef stored at a pier in Busan.

   The clash came as hundreds of South Korean activists and unionists carried out protests to stop the shipment of U.S. beef imports at piers nationwide, after the government issued a legal notice earlier in the day to officially resume the importation of U.S. beef.

   A new deal was reached in April between Seoul and Washington to fully resume the imports that had been halted or highly restricted since 2003, when a case of mad cow disease was found in the United States.

   South Korean and U.S. officials revised the April 18 agreement last week in an effort to soothe fears of mad cow disease, saying American beef imports are safe due to an effective inspection system.

   Some 150 protesters occupied the road leading to a pier in the southeastern port city where roughly 3,300 tons of U.S. beef are stored.

   At around 10:30 a.m., about one-and-a-half hours after the protest started, police started to remove the demonstrators, but met strong resistance. One civic activist was injured from a fall while struggling with a police officer, witnesses said.

   As of the early afternoon, the majority of the protesters were still blocking the road, surrounded by riot policemen.

   The protesters argue that the revised agreement fails to effectively address fears of mad cow disease and call for a completely new deal.

   The police deployed six riot squads, each with about 80 members, at the pier.
Media polls showed this week that a large number of South Koreans still oppose U.S. beef imports. About 5,300 tons of U.S. beef are currently stored in refrigerating facilities across the country.

   ygkim@yna.co.kr
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