Korea Dispatch

  

Protesters and police clash in Seoul

After eighteen days of relative quiet, at least as far as candle light vigils go, protesters reappeared in Seoul’s Jongro area on Thursday to protest Korea’s importation of US beef. Police in riot gear clashed with what the Hankyoreh says was a crowd of over ten thousand as Korea commemorated the 60th anniversary of its constitution.

Protesters claim the government is ignoring the voice of the people, although the rate at which US beef is being bought and sold here says otherwise. Linking the protests with the dispute over the Dokdo islets and the suspended sentence for Samsung chair Lee Kun-hee one banner reads, “Samsung not guilty, protesters guilty. Dokdos sold, mad-cow bought!”

A report in the Korean language Dong A Daily noted that one cameraman for the paper was attacked and threatened by protesters, who took away his camera to see what had been filmed. The incident reflects the growing resentment against what some here see as the domination of a biased conservative media. 

It seems PD Diary’s apology for distorting the facts over the safety of US beef has had little impact on those opposed to it’s importation.

Korean bloggers reacted to the latest round of candle waving with criticism. One writes, “As the country slides downward, with the killing in NK and the loss of Dokdo, why are these people so obsessed with mad-cow?” It continues, “Who are these people? Can’t the government do anything?”

Another comment harkens back to the good old days of military rule. “Back then life was good for folks with not much money.”

There’s a perfect storm of national and international disputes that is tearing at the fabric of a country facing serious economic decline, and the country’s bulldozing leader seems asleep at the wheel.