What are the immediate issues that underlie the current political crisis in South Korea?
A1: President Lee Myung-Bak’s decision to lift the import restrictions on U.S. beef, imposed in 2003 due to the purported risk of mad cow disease, set off fierce protests across Korea for the past 40 days. The agreement was settled on the eve of Lee’s summit with President George W. Bush in April. The Korean public was infuriated by this agreement, perceiving that Lee had neglected to consult with the public or with experts on this issue, and viewed it as a “humiliating concession” to the United States, in which the public’s health was being put at risk. Lee’s agreement was also seen as a “political gift” to President Bush before the summit, which was publicly characterized as a subservient Korean king offering tribute to a more powerful Chinese emperor. Young Koreans took to the streets in organized candlelight demonstrations, demanding renegotiation with the United States. Candlelight protests quickly gained broader public support as others, including civic groups, leftists, oppositi
