Clergy, Labor Unions Add Layers to South Korea's Beef Protests

韩国最大工会罢工支持抗议美牛肉

　

South Korean religious groups have temporarily taken over leadership of protests against the resumption of American beef imports, calling for peace and police restraint. At the same time, South Korea's biggest labor union group has begun a strike and says its members will join protesters in the streets.

　

韩国宗教组织暂时接过了抗议恢复进口美国牛肉活动的领导权。这些组织呼吁和平，并呼吁警方克制。与此同时，韩国最大的劳工组织开始罢工，并表示，其成员将加入到街头抗议中去。

South Korean protests against U.S. beef imports have been an almost nightly fixture in Seoul for some two months now - but some of this week's gatherings seemed a lot like a church service.

　

在韩国首都首尔，针对美国进口牛肉的抗议活动几乎每晚都举行，已经持续了近两个月。不过，这个星期的抗议集会看上去却很像教会活动。

Protesters - some of them wearing white veils customary among South Korean Catholics - sang "peace, peace, because I serve God."

　

这些抗议者，有的身穿韩国天主教徒经常穿的白色袍子，口中唱著“和平，和平，因为我服务于上帝。”

Religious leaders have been at the forefront of the the protests, this week, lacing the gatherings heavily with symbols of worship. Their stewardship of the demonstrations is expected to end Friday, with a gathering presided over by Buddhist leaders.

　

这个星期，宗教领袖站到了抗议的前列，给集会增添了浓重的宗教色彩。他们的主导作用预计在星期五结束。届时，将由佛教界领袖主持一次集会。

Many South Koreans believe U.S. beef is tainted with the brain-consuming mad cow disease, despite a relative lack of hard scientific data. The protests have dwindled in numbers, but become more physical in recent weeks. Last weekend, hundreds of South Koreans were injured in clashes with police connected to the beef protests.

　

很多的韩国人坚信美国牛肉含有疯牛病菌，尽管没有这方面的确凿科学依据。最近几个星期，抗议人数有所减少，但是更加激烈。上个周末，民众与警察发生冲突当中，有好几百人受伤。

Religious leaders accuse police of using excessive force. They are invoking their public role to call for restraint. Some of them are openly backing the protesters, while others use religious language implying support.

　

宗教领袖指责警方使用过分武力，呼吁警方采取克制态度。一些宗教领袖公开支持抗议者，另外一些则通过宗教语言来表达他们的支持。

A Catholic priest called upon Jesus Christ to heal those who were hurt and to give everyone gathered the strength to fight against injustice.

　

这位天主教教士呼吁耶稣基督治愈所有受伤的人，并且给予参加集会的人向非正义挑战的力量。

Separately, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, began a partial nationwide strike, Wednesday, in solidarity with the beef protesters.

　

另一方面，韩国民主劳动组合总联盟星期三开始全国范围的部分罢工，向抗议进口牛肉的人表示支持。

The group said more than 130,000 workers would walk off the job, including about 30,000 union members employed by Hyundai Motors.

　

总联盟表示超过13万名工人会参加罢工，其中包括大约3万名受雇于现代汽车公司的工会成员。

KCTU President Lee Seok-heang says members are exercising a democratic right, in service of the public.

　

总联盟李锡行说，工会成员是在行使民主权利，为公众服务。

He says the strikers want to preserve public health, which he calls a key ingredient for production. He says they also want to protect children from what he describes as the "risk" of American beef.

　

他说，罢工者希望保护公众的健康，而这是生产力的重要因素。他表示，他们还要保护儿童免受他所说的美国牛肉带来的“危险”。

Lee says thousands of labor union workers will travel to Seoul, later this week, to join several days of anti-government protests over the U.S. beef issue.

　

李锡行说，数千名工会工人这个星期晚些时候将前往首尔，加入为期几天的针对美国牛肉问题的反政府抗议活动。

Lee downplays warnings from leaders and economists that ongoing unrest risks damaging South Korea's long term economic prospects. South Korea's prime minister said this week the protests are discouraging investment and damaging South Korea's trade credibility.

　

韩国政府领导人和经济学家警告说，持续不断的骚乱从长远来看会对韩国经济造成伤害。韩国总理本星期表示，抗议活动会让投资者丧失信心，并且会损害韩国的贸易信誉。但是李锡行并不看重这些警告。

South Korea's parliament remains paralyzed by a boycott led by political opponents of President Lee Myung-bak, who made the April deal to resume American beef imports.

　

由于总统李明博的政治对手带头抵制，韩国议会仍然陷于瘫痪状态。李明博今年4月同意恢复进口美国牛肉。

Despite opposition, U.S. beef did go back on sale this week here in South Korea after clearing final legal loopholes, last month. One of the few retailers daring enough to advertise the beef says sales are brisk- with 400 kilograms leaving the shop since Tuesday.

　

尽管遭到反对，上个月清除了最后的法律漏洞后，美国牛肉这个星期重新在韩国销售。有胆量推销牛肉的零售商寥寥无几，其中一位零售商表示生意不错，从星期二开始，他已经卖出了400公斤牛肉。