Opening of South Korean Market To U.S. Beef Sparks Protests
The return of U.S. beef to the South Korean market is encountering severe turbulence. Thousands of South Koreans have "hit the bricks" to protest the decision by its government to let U.S. beef back in the country for the first time since 2003.
The Korea Times has this report on what's happening:
More than 10,000 people participated in a candlelight vigil in Seoul, according to police, which was organized by a coalition of 1,500 civic groups and Internet-based communities in what was the biggest gathering since the government announced plans to relax the import restrictions on U.S. beef. Organizers of the rally claimed that the crowd numbered closer to 30,000.
Protestors urged the Lee Myung-bak government to take a harder look at the health concerns on U.S. beef from cattle older than 30 months, which is believed to be more at risk from BSE, commonly called ``mad cow" disease.
Similar rallies were also held in more than 10 towns and cities across the country, including Incheon, Suwon, Daejeon, Busan and Jeonju
[So far,none of the protest rallies have turned into one of those famous South Korean riots as shown here.]
Last weekend, Dr. Richard Raymond, USDA Undersecretary for Food Safety, issued the complete text of his statement to the South Korea trade delegation. Dr. Raymond told the group that "the U.S. beef supply is among the safest in the world." The complete text can be found here.
South Korea has agreed to open itself up to U.S. beef for the first time since 2003 when a "mad cow" was found in Washington State.
Whether the public protests will impact the government remain to be seen. However, the Korea Times makes it clear, some opponents won't be giving up. The newspaper reports:
Internet cafe members, professors' groups and some doctors said that they will fight against the government until the beef deal between the two countries is scrapped.
Go here for the rest of the Korea Times story.
More than 10,000 people participated in a candlelight vigil in Seoul, according to police, which was organized by a coalition of 1,500 civic groups and Internet-based communities in what was the biggest gathering since the government announced plans to relax the import restrictions on U.S. beef. Organizers of the rally claimed that the crowd numbered closer to 30,000.
rule to languish under its review while the cattle industry continued to avoid further regulation. The turning point came at a meeting between U.S. and South Korean officials on trade. According to the Wall Street Journal, "South Korea last week agreed to lift restrictions on U.S. beef and, according to one U.S. government official, the country did so on the condition that the U.S. strengthen its livestock feed rules.".jpg)
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) first sent the right to know regulations over to OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in February 2005. They’ve been hung-up there ever since.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service requires that tonsils from cattle of all ages be removed as a specified risk material that may possibly be an infectious agent for mad cow disease.
"Watchdog."
managed Hallmark, who were partners in the Chino slaughterhouse, was given a rough time on Capitol Hill yesterday.