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SEOUL: South Korea's opposition said Wednesday they would boycott parliament indefinitely over US beef imports, heaping pressure on President Lee Myung-Bak, already beleaguered by the deepening political crisis.
The decision by the three opposition parties has in effect paralysed the National Assembly, which was to open Thursday for a new four-year term, and cast dark clouds over a sweeping free trade deal with Washington.
"We have decided to put off indefinitely the opening of the 17th National Assembly until President Lee declares renegotiation over US beef imports," the three parties, led by the main opposition United Democratic Party, said.
They also demanded all of Lee's cabinet ministers step down and take responsibility for a controversial deal struck in April, under which Seoul last week lifted an intermittent ban on US beef imports. The ban had been imposed for the first time in 2003 over fears beef from the US was contaminated with mad cow disease.
The statement came as Seoul appeared to soften its stance in the politically charged dispute, saying it would regard a promise by US exporters not to ship beef from old cattle as enough to allow a resumption of imports.
Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-Chun said a pledge not to export beef from cattle which are more than 30 months old would be an acceptable alternative to renegotiating the April deal with Washington.
The April accord had called for Seoul to buy almost all beef cuts, including those from cattle over 30 months old.
Chung earlier said Seoul would not resume US beef imports until Washington officially complied with a request not to export beef cuts from such cattle, which are deemed more likely to pose a risk of mad cow disease.
"It's not important how we achieve this goal," Chung told journalists. "It can be either through renegotiations or self-regulation by exporters."
"We will regard a pledge by US exporters (not to export beef from cattle aged more than 30 months) as complying with our request," he said on Tuesday.
Chung's remarks were backed by local importers who were reportedly set to announce they would not import beef from older cattle.
Several major US exporters have said they would label shipments to South Korea to note how old the cattle were at the time of slaughtering and let Korean customers decide whether to purchase the meat.
South Korea last week announced the resumption of US beef imports in order to help pave the way for Washington to ratify a free trade agreement between the countries.
However, after weeks of escalating protests that brought thousands of people on to the streets, the government Monday announced a delay in imports and called on Washington not to export older beef as a condition for resumption.
The White House, in response, expressed its "concerns" Tuesday and said it would work with Seoul on the issue.
Nevertheless, the announcement by President Lee did little to ease protests.
Some 10,000 protestors marched through the street here in drizzling rain, chanting slogans that called for a continued ban on US beef and demanded the resignation of Lee, who Tuesday marked his 100th day in office.
Lee, who took power in February vowing to reactivate the sluggish economy, has seen his popularity ratings tumble by half as the beef row eats into his credibility and early expectations fade of a quick economic recovery. - AFP/ac
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