By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter

The government vowed Sunday to crack down on protesters against the resumption of American beef imports.

It will also pursue criminal and civil legal action against demonstrators, according to a joint statement issued by the justice, public administration, culture and labor ministers.

``The government has refrained from mobilizing police against demonstrators. But the protests have gone too far and have become too violent,'' said Justice Minister Kim Kyung-han during a televised press conference.

``The peaceful candlelight vigils, which started 50 days ago, have turned violent and destructive at the instigation of a few extreme activists, bringing about tragic clashes Saturday night,'' he said.

Demonstrators attacked police and vehicles with steel pipes and hammers, and even sought to overturn buses. They also used slingshots against riot police, Justice Minister Kim said.

He added that the government deeply regrets such unfortunate violence and will track down those guilty of assaulting the police, and the orchestraters of violence.

``If protesters once again pose a threat to the safety of ordinary people, police will spray them with tear-gas and apprehend key demonstrators,'' the minister said.

It also urged the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the nation's second largest labor umbrella group, which has held sporadic strikes since Thursday to oppose the beef deal, to stop ``illegal'' walkouts.

The People's Association for Measures Against Mad Cow Disease, a major protest organizer, held a second rally over the weekend from 5 p.m., Sunday.

In the first rally after the government announced the resumption of U.S. beef imports, about 15,000 protesters gathered around Seoul City Hall Saturday night and took to the streets leading to the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae. They clashed violently with riot police in downtown Seoul until Sunday morning, leaving hundreds of casualties on both sides.

Confronted with a barricade of police buses, protesters, mostly KCTU members and hard-line civic groups, used violence against riot police, who fired water cannons and sprayed fire extinguishers from 9 p.m. to disperse protesters.

Police said about 30 riot police and approximately 100 protesters were injured during the clash, forcing many of them to undergo emergency medical treatment.

The police agency said it detained about 60 demonstrators on charges of assaulting police officers.

pss@koreatimes.co.kr