President Lee Myung-bak bows after a special press conference at the Chunchugwan Press Hall at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday afternoon. A Country in Blackout, by Kang Chun-suk Discontent Growing as Gov't Marks 100 Days in Office Challenges for the Lee Administration Senior Figures Advise Lee on Presidency Lee's Approval Rating Plummets to 21 Percent Lee Must Seize the Moment, by Kim Dae-joong

"The Korean government is demanding that the U.S. government systematically guarantee it will prohibit American private exporters from exporting beef from cattle older than 30 months to Korea,” the president said in a special press conference at Cheong Wa Dae. "I'm convinced that the U.S. will accept our demand, although additional negotiations have had a difficult sailing. If (the U.S.) does not accept our demand, we are going to suspend the promulgation of new sanitary conditions for U.S. beef imports and won't import” U.S. beef.

He pledged beef from older cattle will “under no circumstances” be offered to Korean consumers. “Please trust this promise I, the president you elected, am giving to you,” he added.

Lee’s statement was peppered with contrite expressions, following weeks of street protests motivated not only by fears over the safety of U.S. beef but also discontent with his government’s high-handed conduct during its early days in office. Phrases like "I've accused myself," "I have examined myself repeatedly," "I apologize," and "I'm seriously reflecting on myself" recurred throughout.

However, turning to protesters’ calls for formal re-negotiations of the beef accord with the U.S., Lee said, "If I had taken only my own political position into consideration, I would not have hesitated to accept” the demand. "But as president, I had no choice but to determinedly protect the national interest and think of the future. I could not accept, since I was well aware that there would be enormous repercussions if I did.”

Lee said he “felt keenly once again that any policy can be successful only if it is compatible with public sentiment” and was therefore “willing to abandon” his election pledge to build a cross-country canal, which has met with widespread opposition.

Turning to another concern of the protesters, over privatization, he said, "Even if public corporations are put in private hands, prices will not rise and no jobs will be slashed.” He added the government has “no plan whatsoever” to privatize public utilities and health insurance.

"The government will push for the reform of public corporations one by one and step by step. We will ask public opinion on this reform program before improving management of some public corporations, if their management can be improved; merging some others, if they can be merged; and privatizing still some others, if they can be privatized." He pledged the government “will carry out the program carefully."

With regard to the government's management of the economy during the second half of this year, Lee promised to give top priority to changing his policy focus in favor of improving low-income earners’ livelihood and stabilizing prices. "The government is making preparations to cope with soaring oil prices. If the oil price exceeds US$150 per barrel, we should be on emergency alert. If the price exceeds $170 and goes toward $200 per barrel, we should be ready for a crisis."

As for a promised “large-scale” reshuffle of Cheong Wa Dae staff, Lee said it will be “as if I were starting from scratch." He is expected to release a lineup of new presidential chief of staff and senior presidential secretaries as early as Friday.

(englishnews@chosun.com )