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The Korea Council of University Education and the Korea Bar Association on Thursday called for a return to law and order and an end to street protests against the import of American beef. The KCUE, an association of presidents of 198 universities nationwide, issued a resolution and an open letter of university presidents. ¡°We are gravely concerned that society is in a touch-and-go situation. The government and politicians must bear the responsibility for it,¡± they said.
¡°This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Republic of Korea, and we are at a critical juncture where we need to take our remarkable achievements of industrialization and democracy to the next level to become an advanced country. The government needs to work toward economic stimulation and national solidarity by restoring the faith of citizens, and politicians need to cooperate for the greater cause and focus on stabilizing people¡¯s living conditions,¡± the letter read.
The KBA, which automatically registers Korea¡¯s over 10,000 lawyers as members, also issued a statement on Thursday, urging the government to ¡°deal strictly with candlelight protesters who have gone too far in disturbing law and order.¡± ¡°While downtown Seoul is being occupied by illegal demonstrators and police and citizens injured, even some religious figures have joined the rallies under the pretext of a religious event, and are amplifying anxiety among the people,¡± the KBA statement said. ¡°This is a long way from the original purport of candlelight vigils, which were voluntary gatherings by ordinary citizens concerned about the safety of what they eat. We must stop such resource-depleting events.¡±
The KBA claimed demanding that the constitutionally elected government step down, as protesters have done, was an act destroying constitutional order and the rule of law.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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