Shanghai Daily | 上海日报 -- English Window to China News

SOUTH Korea's opposition parties agreed yesterday to boycott the new legislature to pressure embattled President Lee Myung-bak to renegotiate a much-criticized beef import deal with the United States.

Three opposition parties said in a joint statement they would indefinitely stay away from the National Assembly ¨? set to formally open today ¨? unless Lee agrees to pursue a better deal to replace the April 18 agreement with Washington.

The beef pact has come under heavy fire in South Korea for more than a month amid widespread public perceptions that it fails to protect the nation from mad cow disease by allowing US beef from older cattle, considered at greater risk of the brain-wasting illness.

"We sternly demand President Lee Myung-bak declare a renegotiation," the joint statement said. "We will fight together with the people until our demand is met."

The move came a day after Lee's government announced it had asked the US to refrain from exporting any beef from cattle 30 months of age or older. Still, it stopped short of directly asking Washington for a renegotiation of the agreement.

The opposition denounced the announcement as a government ploy to temporarily calm public anger, and said they would accept nothing less than outright renegotiation.

About 3,500 protesters gathered in front of city hall last night for a candlelight rally amid a drizzle. Organizers vowed to hold a 72-hour protest starting today.

Compromise solution

Separately, US Ambassador Alexander Vershbow said the US believes a solution can be found that addresses public concerns without the need for a renegotiation of the agreement.

The US Embassy said Vershbow made the remarks at a meeting with Moon Kook-hyun, head of a small opposition party.

Several major US meat processors offered Monday to label shipments to South Korea for a period of up to 120 days to show whether beef was from cattle younger or older than 30 months of age.

Vershbow, after a meeting Tuesday with South Korea's foreign minister, called the offer a "very positive step."