Friday, May 02, 2008

Anti-American Beef Rally

Hello. Today there is an article in the Korea Times about a candlelight rally in Seoul against importing US beef. The quotes in the article are very interesting. One person says that she will persuade parents from sending their children to school because the beef will be served at lunch, which makes no sense at all.... just send kimbap with the kids to school. They are also saying that Koreans are more susceptible to mad cow disease than Americans because we have grown up eating the nasty germ-filled meat. Actually, Americans are just as susceptible to mad cow disease. I think a more dangerous aspect of American beef are the hormones they use to fatten the cows, and I am surprised no one is talking about that. This will probably be a factor that will block the KORUS FTA on the Korean side.

1 comment:

Joo-Eun Kim said...

There was a very interesting response to the first anti-beef rally in the Choson Ilbo the other day (in Korean). I can't find it anymore though. It says that the PD Memo television show that claimed 95% of Koreans are more likely to catch mad cow disease was trying to deceive people. The show also suggested that Americans don't even eat beef produced in the United States.

The real issue does not seem to be beef. I think beef has been hijacked by anti-KORUS FTA politicians. They are using this as a way to defeat the FTA in Korea. Unfortunately, it does not seem the FTA has much of a chance in the US Congress now either.