South Korea's Leader Vows to Make New Start

SEOUL, June 11 -- South Korean president Lee Myung-bak on Wednesday pledged to "restart" his fledgling administration following protests that began over a decision to allow the importation of U.S. beef but broadened into a backlash against the president himself.

In his first comments on demonstrations that drew tens of thousands of people into the streets of central Seoul and other South Korean cities on Tuesday, Lee told a group of business leaders that he would "restart the government with renewed resolve" in an effort to regain public support.

He indicated, however, that he would not accept the resignations offered by top government officials on Tuesday -- at least not all of them. Lee's entire cabinet offered to resign in order to take responsibility for the beef dispute and to take heat off the president, who has been in office less than four months.

Lee, in comments reported in the South Korean media Wednesday morning, said that people had expressed concern to him that accepting all of the resignations would create a "vacuum" in leadership.

"We will not make any vacuum in the governance," Lee said.

But it remains unclear whether individual cabinet members will be allowed to step down, or whether Lee plans other changes in hopes of defusing public opposition to his government.

"I thought about a lot of things while watching protests last night," Lee said, according to local media reports.

The crowd in Seoul, chanting "Out with President Lee" and wearing stickers that made Lee look like a rat, included office workers, parents with children, college students and members of labor groups.

"It is too late to soothe the public with lip service, and even fixing the beef issue is too late," said Lee Hong-taek, 33, a gaming software specialist, who joined the protest after work. "The real question is his leadership style."

Police said 70,000 people protested in Seoul, while organizers put the number at 700,000. Local media estimates ranged from 400,000 to 600,000. There were no reports of clashes between protesters and police, as there were in demonstrations this spring.

Despite repeated assurances from Lee's government and the United States, many South Koreans continue to fear that U.S. beef will infect them with mad cow disease.

But people in the streets here are also angry about what they call Lee's arbitrary way of making major decisions, his tone-deaf response to public opinion and his choices of rich and, in some cases, unsavory business leaders for senior position in his government.