미국산 쇠고기 수입 파동 등의 여파로 6주간 파행을 겪어온 한국의 18대 국회가 오늘 첫 본회의를 열었습니다.
오늘 본회의는 한나라당이 지난 4월 미국 쇠고기 수입 재개를 결정한 '쇠고기 협상 국정조사'를 실시하기로 동의한 뒤 야당 의원들이 등원 거부를 철회하면서 열리게 됐습니다.
미국과의 쇠고기 협상으로 촉발된 대규모 시위로 인해 이명박 한국 대통령은 결국 쇠고기 추가 협상 결정을 내린 바 있습니다.
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South Korea's parliament convened today (Thursday), ending a six-week boycott by opposition lawmakers angered over a resumption of U.S. beef imports.
Liberal lawmakers ended the boycott after the ruling Grand National Party agreed to launch an investigation into the agreement reached in April to end a ban on U.S. beef.
The deal sparked near-daily massive street demonstrations, forcing President Lee Myung-bak to renegotiate the agreement. The ban was initially imposed in 2003 after a case of mad cow disease was discovered in U.S. beef.
The conservative GNP won a majority of the 299-seat National Assembly in April parliamentary elections. Mr. Lee is expected to address parliament at its formal opening session on Friday.