Beef with 이명박
Posted by natecrew on June 11, 2008
Tuesday night, Jess and I watched part of an 80,000-strong demonstration calling for President Lee’s resignation. I was surprised by how family-oriented it seemed. The atmosphere all around City Hall betrayed no hint of the violence that tainted the weekend protests.
Sparked by outrage over the new president’s removal of bans on U.S. beef imports, a month of growing protest has now thrown the government into confusion and temporary paralysis. Lee’s entire cabinet has asked permission to be released from office.
Lee is accused of running the nation with only short-term financial profit in mind. Many liberal (and communist) Koreans are also angered over his excessive interest in friendship with the U.S. government. I found it interesting that Tuesday’s protest honored the anniversary of Seoul’s original pro-democracy demonstrations two decades ago. A shrine was set up in Seoul Plaza to honor a student slain in that 1987 upheaval.
