SEOUL, KOREA - Tens of thousands of South Korean Buddhists were set to rally Wednesday in central Seoul in protest at alleged pro-Christian bias by the government of President Lee Myung-Bak.

The Jogye Order, the country's largest Buddhist sect, has said it expects 200,000 people including some 5,000 monks to take part, while police estimate around 40,000 will assemble.

Protesters will meet at City Hall Plaza from 2:00 pm (0500 GMT) and march through the city centre.

Yu said the government would introduce new regulations to ban religious discrimination by government officials. Lee, a devout Presbyterian, has urged his officials not to make controversial remarks on matters of faith.

But Buddhists dismissed the peacemaking gesture and vowed to push ahead with the rally. They insist Lee himself apologise.

Lee, an elder at the Somang church, included members of the church network when appointing his first cabinet in February.

The dispute, rare in a country which guarantees freedom of religion, was indirectly exacerbated by months of street rallies against US beef imports.

Seven activists wanted by police for violence during the protests took refuge in the Jogye order's main temple in central Seoul in early July.

Tensions grew late last month after police stopped a car carrying Jigwan, the order's respected head monk, outside the temple and searched the boot.

Police chief Eo Cheong-Soo apologised and disciplined two senior officers.

But Buddhists accused police of treating the head monk like a criminal and called for Eo's resignation.

Yu said the police chief would soon visit Buddhist leaders to express regrets.

Buddhists were also angered at an online map published by two ministries showing locations of Seoul?s Christian churches but not major Buddhist temples.

Official data shows South Korea has about 10 million Buddhists and 13.7 million Christians.