South Korean police have fired water cannons and arrested more than 200 people who were protesting against plans to resume US beef imports.
Some 20,000 people had gathered in US expels Belarus diplomats ...
Abbas seeks US support in reaching peace deal ... Seoul to demonstrate, in the latest in a series of protests.
Protesters who then tried to march on the presidential Blue House were blocked by police, prompting clashes in which 228 people were detained.
The demonstrators say the plan fails to protect against mad cow disease.
Seoul's beef market was closed to US imports in 2003 after the first US case of the disease was found in a Canadian-born cow in Washington state.
President's surprise
April's decision to reopen the market has prompted weeks of protests.
Under the deal, Seoul has agreed with Washington to accept all cuts of beef from cattle of all ages.
Other US trading partners such as Japan still will not do so because of concerns over mad cow disease.
The deal was announced during an April visit to the US by President Lee Myung-Bak and was described by his critics as a move to please Washington.
Reports say Mr Lee has been caught by surprise by the protests and his popularity has plummeted in recent weeks.
(BBC)
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