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SEOUL : South Korea will resume US beef imports from Thursday after securing extra safeguards, officials said, prompting calls for fresh anti-mad cow rallies which have brought thousands on to the streets.
Ministers said they could wait no longer to restart the trade suspended in 2003 after a US mad cow case, despite opposition to the move which has hit the popularity of President Lee Myung-Bak.
"It is important to keep a promise between individuals, and also to abide by an agreement between countries," Prime Minister Han Seung-Soo told a meeting with ruling Grand National Party officials, stressing the need to move quickly.
New rules on the imports will be posted Thursday in the government gazette, the party said in a statement after meeting senior government officials.
Imports can resume immediately after such a posting, an agriculture ministry spokesman told AFP.
Hoping to speed up a wider trade deal, Seoul agreed in April to resume most US beef imports. But under pressure from the mass candlelit rallies, it went back to Washington this month to revise the deal.
US exporters have now agreed not to send meat from cattle older than 30 months, seen as more at risk of the disease, and the US government will verify the age of the exports.
But protesters said the safeguards which Seoul secured last week from Washington are inadequate, and urged people to continue the weeks-long series of rallies which have put the government under pressure.
"President Lee Myung-Bak's apology has all turned out to be a lie," said a group called the People's Association Against Mad Cow Disease on its website.
"Let's hold our candles of anger again to call for our demands," it said, calling for rallies Wednesday afternoon and evening.
Lee apologised last week for his handling of the issue. He has also called for tough action against violent protests following clashes with police Saturday night in which a police bus was smashed and dozens slightly injured.
Other groups have threatened to block the expected distribution of 3,300 tons of frozen US beef being stored in the southern port of Busan. A total of some 5,300 tons now in Korea awaiting inspection.
The White House said Tuesday that a widely expected visit to Seoul in July by US President George W. Bush would not take place, but did not link it to the beef protests. It said he may come later in the year.
The opposition has been boycotting parliament to press demands for a full renegotiation of the beef pact.
"This is another declaration of war against the opposition and the people," the main opposition United Democratic Party said in a statement.
Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-Chun said Tuesday the resumption of the imports could not be delayed any longer. But he promised a new strict system under which restaurants -- even burger joints and meatball restaurants -- must disclose the origin of their beef products.
It was unclear how much support the call for more protests would get.
Some 100,000 people packed central Seoul in a peaceful June 10 demonstration. Rallies since then have been far smaller but a few have ended violently.
About 190 policemen have been injured with 58 police buses damaged during the weeks of protests, according to official data.
- AFP /ls
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