The nation's No. 1 discounter Shinsegae E-Mart will resume selling U.S. beef Thursday, making it the second major local retailer _ following Lotte Mart _ to do so at a time when civic groups' protest against imports is growing fiercer.

The top retailer said Sunday that it has already begun test sales of American meat at select stores, but a full-scale promotion will kickoff at 78 of its 107 locations nationwide Thursday.

This is the first time for E-Mart to sell American cuts since imports were banned in December 2003 in the wake of a case of mad cow disease.

The first shipment of 80 tons of frozen Top Choice beef, known as a high grade equivalent to the premium grade of Korean native cattle, will be sold throughout the partial sales period, and an additional 120 tons is set to be imported at the end of this month.

This is about double the initial stock of its competitor Lotte Mart, which sells at 47 of the mart's 53 nationwide stores at about 1,550 to 3,950 won ($1.70 to $4.30) per 100 grams. Sales were stopped at six outlets due to strong protests.

Various cuts of American meat, including short rib, beef rib and sirloin, are set to be half the price of homegrown beef and 75 to 85 percent of Australian imports.

''We're expecting strong demand from consumers considering the high quality and competitive price of U.S. beef,'' said a Shinsegae spokesman, adding that the discount store chain will increase its American chilled meat stock, as well.

Catching up with the retail frontrunner's rush in selling U.S. beef, New Core, Homever and Home Plus are expected to resume earlier sales before August, which is sooner than the scheduled promotion date set by a group of 20 discount stores.

The joint promotional campaign had been planned to minimize backlash associated with selling U.S. beef.

As Lotte kicked off American beef sales for the first time in three years and seven months, various activists and civic groups, including the Korea Alliance Against the Korea-U.S. FTA, have held violent protests.

And as more are expected to rise, the Center for Free Enterprise criticized their move, calling it an ''unhealthy citizen behavior,'' as it threatens consumers' basic rights to purchasing quality goods and low costs.

Observers predict a significant amount of clash throughout the early stages after U.S. beef sales resume in more groceries over the next few weeks.

jhan@koreatimes.co.kr