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SEOUL: South Korea's cabinet offered to quit Tuesday following weeks of mass protests over government plans to resume imports of US beef, which opponents say carries a risk of mad cow disease.
As demonstrators planned their biggest rally yet, Prime Minister Han Seung-Soo and the entire Cabinet offered their resignations to President Lee Myung-Bak to take responsibility for the turmoil, a presidential spokesman said.
The spokesman, Lee Dong-Kwan, said no decision had been made yet about ministerial changes and the current Cabinet would stay in office for the time being.
Yonhap news agency, quoting presidential sources, said Lee is expected to replace four or five ministers including those responsible for agriculture, health and education.
Lee, a conservative former business executive elected last December by a record margin, is facing a major public backlash over his April agreement to resume imports, which were halted in 2003 over mad cow disease fears.
Tens of thousands of people have staged occasionally violent street rallies against the decision, despite assurances from Seoul and Washington that the meat is totally safe.
Organisers hope to mobilise up to one million protesters nationwide later Tuesday, the 21st anniversary of a mass pro-democracy demonstration.
Lee is seeking to modify the beef deal but says he cannot renegotiate it, as protesters demand, since this would jeopardise US approval of a separate free trade pact.
The president, whose approval ratings have tumbled below 20 percent, admits failures in consulting the people.
"We will be more humble in listening to the people and serve them with all our might," he said Tuesday.
The National Police Agency said it had declared a class A alert, issued only when serious disruption to public security is threatened.
Police said up to 200,000 people, including 150,000 in Seoul, are expected to take part in candlelit protests Tuesday evening in some 80 different places across the country.
Some 37,000 riot police will be mobilised including 20,000 in Seoul, they said.
"Today's protests are to pass judgement on the Lee Myung-Bak government which keeps ignoring people's demands despite a month of candlelit protests," said Park Won-Suk, a spokesman for activists.
He said a million people, including 300,000 outside City Hall in Seoul, are expected to show up and organizers would do their utmost to avert violence.
But rightwing groups called for a counter-rally to support the conservative president and the US free trade agreement in the same venue as the candlelit protest.
Security authorities placed more than 20 huge cargo containers across Seoul's Sejong Street to block access to government buildings and the presidential palace.
Police warned of harsh punishment against anyone using violence.
US legislators have warned they will not ratify the free trade agreement unless Seoul first opens its beef market.
The beef deal was struck on the eve of Lee's first summit with President George W. Bush in April, but protesters say the government failed to secure enough safeguards against mad cow disease.
Seoul has sought to ease public anger by delaying the resumption of imports and calling on Washington not to export beef from cattle more than 30 months old, seen as more vulnerable to possible infection.
On Saturday, Bush promised to help allay South Korean fears in a 20-minute phone conversation with Lee, Seoul officials said.
The alleged US assurance, however, did little to calm demonstrators and the opposition parties, which continue to boycott parliament in protest. - AFP/ac
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