S.Korean president apologizes on beef, sacks aides

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-19  |     ONLINE EDITION

SOUTH Korea's embattled president apologized today for a US beef import deal that sparked mass street protests against his new government and will sack close aides to try to halt a dramatic slide in public support.

Lee Myung-bak, who eased to victory in a December election with pledges of pro-business reforms and growth for the world's 13th largest economy but now has an approval rating of less than 20 percent, said he wanted to start a new chapter for his four-month-old government.

"As I sat up on a hill in the dark watching the lines of candles filling the city streets, I faulted myself for not ensuring the comfort of the people," Lee said in a televised speech, referring to more than a month of candle-lit rallies.

"I will make it a top priority to stabilize prices and look after the lives of the working people," Lee said.

Analysts said they expect large parts of Lee's reforms, which include privatizing state firms, tax cuts for companies and mortgage relief for low-income households, to be stalled unless he can win back public support.

A parliament in which Lee's conservative Grand National Party holds the majority has yet to begin sitting because of a boycott by the left-of centre opposition angered at the beef deal.

Hundreds of the 13,000 striking South Korean truckers, whose protest has paralyzed ports and cost export firms billions of dollars, reached deals with employers and returned to work today, easing a little pressure on Lee.

The truckers reached tentative agreements with employers including steelmakers POSCO and Hyundai Steel for higher pay, the transport ministry said.

Yesterday, thousands of construction workers and hundreds of other truckers went back to work after the government offered them deals that would save them money on operating costs.