By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Candlelit vigils resumed in Seoul Tuesday night over President George W. Bush's visit to Seoul. The conservatives welcomed the visit but the progressives denounced him.
In Seoul Plaza, more than 374 conservative and pro-American civic groups including the New Right Union and the Korea Veterans Association gathered to welcome Bush. The event started with a religious service by the Christian Council of Korea then finished with other cultural performances supporting the Korea-U.S. relations. A total of 20,000 were estimated to have attended the event.
However, across the street at Cheonggye Plaza, an event to denounce Bush's visit was held at the same time. The People's Association for Measures Against Mad Cow Disease held the protest with more than 10,000 participants. ``We are here to ask Bush to renegotiate the beef import deal with President Lee Myung-bak,'' a group spokesman said.
A group of university students as well as opponents of the Seoul-Washington free trade agreement gathered to demand more. They called for the withdrawing of Korean troops from Iraq. A group of protestant Christians also gathered to press for the banning American beef imports and ask Washington to stop demanding Korea shoulder more money than necessary to keep U.S. Forces in Korea.
The simultaneous pro-and anti-American rallies put police on high alert. More than 7,000 policemen were posted around the Grand Hyatt Seoul, where Bush is staying, and 16,000 at rally spots.
Police deployed a special squad to crack down on ``illegal protestors.'' ``Regardless of ideological orientation, any illegal gatherings will be heavily punished,'' a police spokesman said.
The police sprayed dyed water at the ralliers and have reportedly detained tens of protesters for violence.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRCK) Tuesday criticized police for blocking an anti-American rally at Seoul Airport, an air force base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, where the U.S. President arrived.