Violent Crack-Down of Peaceful Protest in South Korea

In South Korea, more than 200000 people have been participating in the peaceful protest against the government’s decision to import! beef from the US for the last 5 weeks. South Koreans are firmly opposed to the import!ation of American beef under the trade agreement between South Korea and the US which does not confer the Korean government the right to undertake thorough inspection of the import!s for mad cows disease. South Korean people have united to urge the Korean government to rectify unfair trade terms and protect its own people from the uncurable mad cows disease. South Koreans from different regions of the country have gathered together to march against the Korean government which is blinded by short-term gains of the trade agreement at the expense of people’s health and safety. People’s will and right to live have been materialised in the form of a series of non-violent candlelight vigil protests. On 31May 2008, the Korean government has ordered the police crack-down of the peaceful protest involving the excessive use of force including water bombs, metal pipes and tear gas by the police special forces unit. This renders many of innocent people being injured and more than 200 people being arrested. This demonstrates the tyranny of the authoritarian government which disregards people’s freedom of speech and protest as well as their right to live. Furthermore, the South Korean government has tightly controlled major media to prevent them from broadcasting the …