By Xinhua,
Seoul : The office of President Lee Myung-bak said on Monday that use of violence by rioters opposing the resumption of U.S. beef imports has exceeded permissible levels in the viewpoint of the people and the government.
“Violence inflicted by street demonstrators on law enforcement officers has already gone beyond the average tolerable level of the people and thus won’t be tolerated anymore,” presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan said in his daily media briefing.
“Not a single advanced country in the world remains a mere spectator to violent and illegal street demonstrations. Public opinion has also turned against violent demonstrators. The government will come up with comprehensive measures in a few days to sternly deal with the violent demonstrators,” said the spokesman.
“The demonstrators are asking for President lee’s resignation,” he said, adding “such a demand is also intolerable.”
Over the weekend, the government again issued a strongly worded statement, vowing to sternly crack down on illegal and violent street demonstrations by opponents of the U.S. beef import deal.