WORLD : Roh Fires Official in A-Waste Row
South Korean President Roh Tae Woo fired a Cabinet minister today and canceled plans to build a nuclear waste dump on an island where thousands rioted in protest.
South Korea’s most serious anti-nuclear protest was mounted by villagers who accused the government of ignoring their demands not to build the waste dump. The protests began peacefully earlier this week after publication of a newspaper report about the government’s plans for the dump but turned violent Thursday.
South Korea has nine nuclear power plants in operation and plans to build more. Previous protests have involved minor clashes or peaceful rallies.
The rioting on Anmyon prompted Roh to fire his minister of science and technology, Chung Kun Mo, and the island’s police chief, both of whom he held responsible for the unrest.
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