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LeeMB before yesterday, once again, apologized "for mishaps of U.S. beef deal". But "netizens and the People’s Countermeasure Council against Full Resumption of Imports of U.S. Beef Endangered with Mad Cow Disease(PCC) downplayed President Lee Myung-bak’s second public apology on June 19. They said that they had expected Lee would come up with a drastic measure but there was no improvement from the current government position", according to Hankyoreh.

And today's news that "Korea and the United States have reached a new agreement on the resumption of U.S. beef imports" (Yonhap) leave the activists of the PCC, a coalition of 1,700 civic groups, resistance organizations and ("progressive") political parties un-impressed and complete unsatisfied!

So, according to PCC: "THE STRUGGLE GOES ON!"

Already since today's evening thousands of people are protesting (and discussing the perspectives of the current struggle) in front of Seoul City Hall. From tomorrow until Sunday the activities will continue (Saturday, 5 pm: rally in Daehang-no and demo to City Hall. 7 pm "Candlelight Culture Festival" etc..)

And in the coming days there are at least two more reasons for mass demonstrations/protests (i.e. disrupt the public order!!): Next weekend C. Rice will come to Seoul and just a few days later (likely 7.07) the most beloved(^^) G.W. Bush will pay a visit to S.Korea's "Public Enemy No.1" (aka LeeMB^^)!!

Well, while the PCC predicts the increase, at least the continuity of the protests.. the S.K. bourgeoise press has a complete different view (surprise, surprise!!) about the current situation and the "possible" perspective of the protest movement:

Candlelight flickers as issues diverge (K. Herald, 6.19)

  
The candlelight at protests against U.S. beef imports has noticeably dimmed amid controversy over their political aims.
Protesters have been criticized for widening their politcal targets, and even threatening to oust President Lee Myung-bak.

In stark contrast to the rallies commemorating the 1987 democracy movement on June 10 - attended by about 80,000 people - the number of protesters at the key venue of Seoul Plaza has thinned to less than a thousand, according to police estimates.

On Monday and Tuesday - when political issues were first brought in as primary topics - about 800 and 500 people, respectively, turned out in central Seoul. Some observers even claimed participants were mostly members of civic groups disapproving of government policies.

From this week on, the coalition of about 1,700 civic groups, named "People's Action for Countermeasures against Mad Cow Disease," have added five government plans to the vigils' official agenda.

The topics include educational policies; the project to build a cross-country canal; and the plans to privatize the health service and public enterprises. The coalition has organized the candlelight vigils since April 27, following the signing of a beef import deal with the United States on April 18.

 
Critics have berated the coalition for deviating from its initial "pure" purpose of protecting public health from the risks of the brain-wasting disease, and becoming unduly antigovernment by raising such diverse issues.

Lee Moon-youl, a conservative novelist, denounced the candlelight vigils for opposing government policies which have yet to materialize.

"In my view, (the protesters) objecting to all of the yet-to-be-implemented policies of the legitimate government, elected by overwhelming voter approval, appears to be a sort of collective fracas. Continuing their candlelight pranks for too long could burn them in the end," Lee said in a radio interview on Tuesday, prompting some to boycott his books.

Among protesters themselves, concerns are running deeper over the demonstrations "getting sidetracked."

"I feel annoyed while watching some utilizing the candlelight vigils to unconditionally rebuke the government with impure motives. We need to calm down and ponder on what is in the best interests of our nation," says an internet poster with the username "Hanmaeum," in a message posted on the website of the coalition.

Apprehensive about such rising concerns, the coalition is trying to restore public confidence. To rally further support, it vowed to hold a 48-hour "intensive" struggle against the government if their demand for a complete renegotiation of the import deal was not met by tomorrow.

To ease public concerns over divergent vigil issues, the coalition will hold an internet debate for three days - today, Saturday and Monday - to solicit public opinion. The coalition had previously threatened to stage a national movement to topple the Lee administration if it refused to meet its demands. However, it backed off from its initial position, saying that there was no official agreement reached yet regarding the full-scale antigovernment drive, and that it would seek public opinion...

And the same newspaper reported today about following "development":

University students clash over vigils 
 

University student councils appeared to have clashing views on student participation of the anti-U.S. beef candlelight vigils that are increasingly drawing criticism as politicized protests.

The student council of Seoul National University said yesterday it will only join the protests against U.S. beef imports, boycotting the vigils that deal with other political issues.

"The issue students have approved of is regarding the renegotiation of the U.S. beef import deal. Therefore, the student council cannot engage in any activities concerning other political issues," Jeon Chang-yeol, president of the SNU student council, told reporters yesterday.

"If participants at the vigils chant slogans not related to the import pact, we are considering leaving the place or avoiding chanting the slogans."

SNU students collectively joined the candlelight vigils on June 5, calling for nullification or renegotiation of the import deal after nearly 90 percent of the voters at the school approved of the student council's action against U.S. beef imports.

The Korea University student council also remained skeptical about its students taking part in vigils touching on other political issues.

In contrast, the head of the student council at Ewha Womans University, said the vigils should be expanded into protests against overall government policies.

"From the outset of the candlelight vigils, many have raised a series of issues against government policies such as liberalization of universities and privatization of public enterprises," Kang Jeong-joo told reporters.

"The beef row cannot help but be linked to the overall policies of the incumbent government, I guess."

From this week on, protesters have included political topics to their vigils' official agenda. They include educational policies; the project to build a cross-country canal; and the plans to privatize the health service and public enterprises.

A coalition of 1,700 civic groups, called "People's Action for Countermeasures against Mad Cow Disease," set a deadline of today, demanding the government clarify its position on the beef issue. If their demand -- a complete renegotiation -- is not met, it threatened to mobilize every possible means to lead an anti-U.S. beef movement.

The coalition plans to hold another massive rally today at 7 p.m. at Seoul Plaza for 48 hours, in the form of debates or cultural performances, it said.

☞ Citizens Split Over Direction of Candlelit Vigil (Korea Times, 6.20)

And finally you MUST read following "background stories"(^^) published in Chosun Ilbo:

☞ Protest Leaders Show Their True Colors (6.18)

☞ The Real Identity of the Mad Cow Fearmongers (6.13)