Beef Protests

There have been a series of large protests against American beef, and more broadly against the current Korean administration. They have been simmering for awhile and now suddenly as the beef is about to be released they have become larger and more vigorous (including a large on at Sinchon yesterday)

INSIDE JoongAng Daily

My students were very interested in talking about it today. It helped that we happen to be studying the Korean-American relationship last week and this week, and that they wrote papers on it. Amazing that the timing worked out that way.

It was interesting to learn that some students see no reason to protest since they don't believe Korea really has any options to stand up to the U.S. "Someone has to eat this beef," is how one student phrased it, and it isn't being sold in the U.S. or Japan.

That kind of fatalism really surprised me. A few students thought that free trade in all goods including beef was a good idea that will be a big boon to Korea.

But other students were really unhappy with the government. This sentiment is expressed in the English language papers too.

"Despite the government's ``effort to soothe public fury'', more people are planning to further express their objection toward the beef import.

42-year-old Lee Byeong-ryul committed suicide Sunday by setting himself on fire in Jeonju, north Jeolla Province. He had spread out leaflets criticizing the beef deal and urged President Lee to resign.

The progressive Federation of Korean University Students' Council said 80 leaders of the group will go on a fast to express their disapproval of the imports. Students from 90 member universities are planning larger protests for Friday, including shaving off their hair and jointly boycotting classes.

``The government is going backwards to the military junta era, a dictatorship, to oppress our democratic ways of expressing ideas. We disapprove of that,'' a citizen in the candlelit vigil said."