VIDEO: Police Clash With Protestors Over Imports

South Korean police scuffle with protesters during a candlelight vigil demanding Seoul to renegotiate its beef deal with the U.S.

South Korean protesters are demanding that their government renegotiate its beef deal with Washington.

But the shouting soon turned to chaos. Police attempting to stop the protesters from reaching government buildings used force, and arrested around 30 protesters saying that the rallies were illegal.

Campaigners are angry over the government's decision to import beef from cattle of all ages from the United States, and are concerned about mad cow disease, which was the reason South Korea imposed a blanket ban on imports five years ago.

Protestors said: "We've been holding candle-light vigils, but Lee Myung-bak's government keeps its stance against the people's demand. We're expressing our anger."

The government has been taken by surprise over the level of the public's anger about the decision, which allows South Korea to accept beef cuts that other U.S trade countries, like Japan will not import.

Kang Gi-Kab is from the Democratic Labour Party

"The government is not aware of public sentiment. I urge Lee Myung-bak's government should stand for the people and fight for the people against the pressure from the U.S.," he says.

U.S legislators said that they would not back a free trade agreement unless South Korea agreed to import U.S beef.

South Korea had been the third largest importer of U.S beef, importing 199,00 tonnes worth 850 million U.S dollars a year. 

But its position could soon change.