S Korea braces for massive protest as Bush arrives today
Protest threat: A member of the military police's special guard team walking past an armoured vehicle in front of the US embassy in Seoul yesterday. South Korean activists said yesterday they planned a large candlelight rally to protest US President George W Bush's visit today.Picture: Reuters
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
SOUTH KOREAN activists said yesterday they planned a large candlelight rally to protest US President George W Bush's visit today and demand the two countries scrap a widely criticised beef import deal.
Bush is expected in Seoul to shore up support for North Korea's decision to disable its nuclear arms programme and the trip is likely to be his last as president to East Asia before going to Bangkok and then Beijing to attend the 2008 Olympics.
"We oppose the visit by Bush who sells US beef with its risk of mad cow disease that threatens the health and lives of the public," a coalition of activist groups said in a statement.
The groups have been behind two months of at times violent street protests against the young government of President Lee Myung-bak, sparked by his deal to end a ban on US beef imports.
Lee agreed the deal in April during his first overseas trip after taking office when Bush hosted him at Camp David, only to see it backfire at home.
"Just as Lee paid a big price to stay at Camp David in April, Bush will be looking to go home with a big catch," the protest coalition said.
Bush will meet with President Lee Myung Bak today, who visited the US in March at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland. The two men are marking the 55th anniversary of US-South Korean ties.
The US president plans to arrive in Bangkok, Thailand, tomorrow for his second visit to the country, where he plans to meet with Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. The two leaders will also be marking an important anniversary in bilateral ties dating back 175 years.
The US president is to participate in the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Summer Games in Beijing on Friday.
During his four-day China stay from Thursday to Monday, Bush plans to meet President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and the Vice President Xi Jinping.
Against protests by political critics in the US, Bush has said he regards his attendance at the games as a purely a "sporting event."
Bush met last week, however, with Chinese dissidents, and the US House of Representatives passed a resolution urging the Chinese government to protect human rights and withdraw support from the governments of Myanmar and Sudan to protest human rights abuses in those two countries.
During his stay in the kingdom, Bush plans to highlight the role Thailand plays as a major non-Nato ally of the US and "one of our best relationships in East Asia," Dennis Wilder, a top official in the National Security Council, said last week.
"The president will congratulate the Thai people on the return to democracy in Thailand," Wilder said. Bush's major address in Thailand will be on US policy in Asia. Agencies
Bush is expected in Seoul to shore up support for North Korea's decision to disable its nuclear arms programme and the trip is likely to be his last as president to East Asia before going to Bangkok and then Beijing to attend the 2008 Olympics.
"We oppose the visit by Bush who sells US beef with its risk of mad cow disease that threatens the health and lives of the public," a coalition of activist groups said in a statement.
The groups have been behind two months of at times violent street protests against the young government of President Lee Myung-bak, sparked by his deal to end a ban on US beef imports.
Lee agreed the deal in April during his first overseas trip after taking office when Bush hosted him at Camp David, only to see it backfire at home.
"Just as Lee paid a big price to stay at Camp David in April, Bush will be looking to go home with a big catch," the protest coalition said.
Bush will meet with President Lee Myung Bak today, who visited the US in March at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland. The two men are marking the 55th anniversary of US-South Korean ties.
The US president plans to arrive in Bangkok, Thailand, tomorrow for his second visit to the country, where he plans to meet with Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. The two leaders will also be marking an important anniversary in bilateral ties dating back 175 years.
The US president is to participate in the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Summer Games in Beijing on Friday.
During his four-day China stay from Thursday to Monday, Bush plans to meet President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and the Vice President Xi Jinping.
Against protests by political critics in the US, Bush has said he regards his attendance at the games as a purely a "sporting event."
Bush met last week, however, with Chinese dissidents, and the US House of Representatives passed a resolution urging the Chinese government to protect human rights and withdraw support from the governments of Myanmar and Sudan to protest human rights abuses in those two countries.
During his stay in the kingdom, Bush plans to highlight the role Thailand plays as a major non-Nato ally of the US and "one of our best relationships in East Asia," Dennis Wilder, a top official in the National Security Council, said last week.
"The president will congratulate the Thai people on the return to democracy in Thailand," Wilder said. Bush's major address in Thailand will be on US policy in Asia. Agencies
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