By Xinhua,
Seoul : South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday instructed his Cabinet to deal sternly with illegal and violent street rallies that pose a challenge to “national identity,” according to Yonhap news agency.
“The government has to carefully listen to some voices critical of government policy. But street demonstrations challenging the national identity or illegal violent rallies must be sternly dealt with,” Lee was quoted by his spokesman as telling the weekly Cabinet meeting.
The remarks may have signaled Lee’s intention to actively mobilize public power to crack down on illegal and violent street demonstrators who directly challenge the foremost national identity of free democracy, according to political analysts.