Personal Injury Law

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.

Full post as published by Mad Cow Blog on May 09, 2008 (boomark / email).