Hundreds injured as 15,000 South Koreans protest US beef after Rice visits Seoul

Enlarge Photo Hundreds injured as 15,000 South Koreans protest US beef after Rice visits Seoul

Sun, Jun 29 02:15 PM

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) _ South Korean protesters battled riot police early Sunday at a rally opposing the resumption of American beef imports, hours after the U.S. secretary of state vouched for the health of U.S. cattle. About 15,000 people some wielding steel pipes and hurling stones at police staged a street demonstration in Seoul on Saturday night, demanding the government withdraw its decision to lift a ban on imports of U.S. beef.

The rally turned violent after some protesters used ropes to try to drag away police buses used as barricades to prevent them from marching into the presidential Blue House. Riot police immediately fired water cannons and sprayed fire extinguishers to repel them.

Angry protesters attacked police with steel pipes and stones, while police used clubs and shields against the crowd. Several hundred protesters were hurt during the rally that continued until Sunday morning, according to a coalition of civic groups that has organized weeks of demonstrations.

Police said the clash left more than 100 riot police injured and about 50 protesters were arrested on charges of assaulting police and illegally occupying streets. Activists have staged daily rallies on the streets of the capital to voice fears about the possible health risks of U.S. beef, such as mad cow disease.

As officials began inspecting U.S. beef on Friday before it can reach markets, hundreds of labor activists blocked customs storage facilities. Justice Minister Kim Kyung-han said Sunday that authorities may have no choice but to use such measures as tear gas to prevent clashes between police and protesters.

Tear gas has been banned since 1999. He also said authorities would chase, arrest and punish those who have instigated violent protests.

Police said they fired water cannons containing fluorescent coloring materials to easily identify protesters. The beef issue topped the agenda when U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met South Korean officials during her visit to Seoul as part of an Asian tour.

She flew to China on Sunday. Rice faced a barrage of questions Saturday about the safety of American beef.

"I want to assure everyone that American beef is safe," she told a news conference with South Korea's foreign minister, Yu Myung-hwan. "We will continue to work with you to have consumer confidence in that matter.

" U.S. beef has been banned for most of the time since late 2003, when the first case of mad cow disease in the U.S. was discovered. In the wake of public outrage over plans to resume shipments of American beef, the South Korean Cabinet offered to resign and the president reshuffled top advisers.

Earlier rallies opposing the beef import deal drew up to 80,000 people, but have since dwindled. Jang Dae-hyun, a spokesman for the protest group, said police should cease harsh methods used against demonstrators to prevent further violence.

"We've been supporting peaceful rallies, but the police crackdown is too harsh," Jang said. ___ Associated Press writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

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