It was the largest number taken into custody so far amid weeks of demonstrations that have stymied the government’s plan to end restrictions on imports of American beef imposed over four years ago due to fears of mad cow disease.

A total of 113 people were apprehended and were being questioned, said a Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency officer. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media.

Thousands of South Koreans have held candlelight protests and street rallies on a near-daily basis since the April 18 deal to resume U.S. beef imports. Crowds have occasionally reached up to 10,000.

The protesters want the government to renegotiate the accord, which they say does not adequately protect the country from beef infected with mad cow disease.

South Korea slapped a ban on U.S. beef imports in December 2003 after the first U.S. case of mad cow disease was discovered in the state of Washington. Two more cases were later discovered.

The rallies began in early May and are largely centered on downtown Seoul. They have been mostly peaceful, though tensions flared this week after the government instructed police to take a harder line.

Protesters accuse the government of ignoring their concerns about food safety and acting arrogantly. Media reports and Internet rumors have fueled fears about the safety of U.S. beef, which both governments have repeatedly said poses no health risk.

The arrests Wednesday came after scuffling erupted at a rally that began Tuesday evening and drew some 2,000 people.

The protests have forced the government to delay the final administrative step necessary to allow the imports.

The latest detentions bring to 210 the number of people this week, though 68 have been released, the police officer said.

The protests are emerging as a major headache for President Lee Myung-bak, who took office three months ago. Lee last week sought to reassure the country over the safety of U.S. beef, but failed to ease public anger. Critics accuse Lee, who was making a state visit to China, of making too many concessions on the beef issue to prompt the U.S. Congress to approve a bilateral free trade agreement.

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