South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak has sacked three cabinet ministers in the wake of mass protests against US beef imports which have shaken his government.

Mr Lee has replaced the agriculture minister, the minister for health and welfare and the education minister.

The cabinet and top aides offered their resignations last month to take responsibility for the beef furore.

The government's decision in April to resume US beef imports, suspended in 2003 following a US mad cow case, sparked weeks of mass street protests over supposed health concerns.

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