Korean Job Discussion Forums

[charlieDD]

(NB: Some of you may say "the jig is up"; it's the same thing.)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200703/s1885590.htm

The Australian beef exporters and their partner importers in Korea have had a good run while American beef has been out of the market. Australian beef used to make up a very small percentage of the beef imported by Korea. It has, since the ban on American beef, replaced the market position of the American beef. I believe the figure is somewhere around 180,000 tons of Australian beef imported a year now (I would guess that's thanks in large part to Outback Steakhouse! {{ . . which is an American company, by the way.}}

An interesting fact revealed in this linked article: 40% is the tariff on Australian beef ? Interestingly, it still sells for significantly less than Korean beef. If the American beef comes in at 0%, like the Australian official says may be the FTA agreement, . . . American beef is going to be, compared to Korean beef, super cheap. But, . . . will it actually make it to the market and into your shopping cart at such low prices; or, will the importers, distributors and supermarkets all just wink at each other and keep the prices right up there where they can continue to soak the consumer?

And, I wonder: Will American beef makes it way back into Outback Steakhouse if this deal goes through? I mean, it is an American company after all. And, before the mad cow incident, it served American beef. And how about McD's and BK - - American beef burgers?

On the FTA aspect: Apparently the Koreans have been finding ways to hold off the full resumption of imports of American beef in order to use it as a card to play in these negotiations, primarily to get a concession on rice market opening.

Related article on beef prices in Korea (highest among 29 countries surveyed; even higher than Japan by $15 a kilo):
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200703/kt2007031515483911950.htm

[Milwaukiedave]

FYI: There is a thread about the FTA in the current events forum as well.

I hope that Korea wises up and allows American beef, but they are being pretty stubborn about it.

[Adventurer]

[gsxr750r]

It's America's own damn fault.

Match Hyundai and Kia cars with a 40% tax, even if they're built there, or even just on Samsung products, and we'll soon see them cave on the beef.

We've let them dump cheap stuff on us long enough. This is the sole issue I agree with Nancy Pelosci on.

[Wangja]

What a coincidence: Free Trade is about the only thing I agree on with Bush.

On the beef issue, I prefer the Aussie beef. I have no beef with US beef but U/S beef .....

[rothkowitz]

I'd like to be able to say Korean beef gig is up,but then,quite often it's probably actually better cuts of aussie beef they're selling.

[pkang0202]

US Beef, Aussie Beef, who cares as long as I can buy it cheaper.

These beef prices are ridiculous. Maybe they can sell US beef cheap and Aussie beef a little more expensive. The public already thinks Aussie beef is superior to US beef.

As for as Outback is concerned, they are going to go with the cheapest supplier.

Aren't Mcdonald hamburgers precooked?

[bixlerscott]

I find the Australian beef to be quite a bit more leaner and tastier than the American beef. Australian beef is grass fed and allowed to roam around since they have enormous expanses of land to raise cattle on. American beef is real fatty, except the fillet. Probably has to do with the cows being kept in pins not larger than a cow while being pumped full of growth hormones with automatic water and feed dispensers. Same for American and Korean pork alike being very fatty.

Korea, like Europe, simply does not want that garbage beef in thier diets.

[butlerian]

[buster brown]

Sorry Bix, but beef cattle in the States are allowed to roam around and munch on grass, supplemented with hay in the winter. I'm from the South and I've been on quite a few cattle farms. Just before going to market, cows are sent to 'finishing farms' where they're fattened up before selling and butchering. Finishing is done by either supplementing cattle feed or putting the cattle into better pastures. If this doesn't happen the same way in Australia, I'd be utterly shocked.

I won't argue about the flavor of respective beef, but to classify American beef as pen-fed and hormone-injected is to ignore that business practices are pretty much the same in the States as well as Down Under.

Back to the issue at hand, as an American I really gritted my teeth when Korea sent back the shiploads of "boneless" American beef after finding a handful of bone chips. I think they're using it as a bargaining tool in the FTA negotiations. Secondly, I find it strange that Koreans put up with paying so much for Korean-grown rice. I can go to any international grocery store in Atlanta, Georgia and find imported Korean rice to be among the cheapest varieties available. I agree with another poster who said that Koreans automatically believe that "made in Korea" means it's the best.

[wylies99]

Keeping the beef prices articially high actually forces many families to find cheaper alternatives, and, in the LONG RUN, that will change the eating habits of many Koreans, and even the Korean beef producers will lose customers/money.

[charlieDD]

[rothkowitz]

While living in really good thing I noticed while living in Queensland was the marrying of Asian cattle -with their tendency towards fine marbling-to the hardy,grass fed nature of OZ cattle.

Waggyu steaks were not so expensive.I read that it's a trend that is being done in North America too.

Wish I'd tried Kangaroo..

[ChuckECheese]

I'm dying for a large 2 pound ribeye steak.

If Korea lifts ban on American beef, they won't have trouble finding English teachers.

[ulsanchris]

I would say most of australian beef is of poor quality. A lot of it comes from cows that are raised in the outback. There they have poor feed. there is no way for the farm to control the quality of the cows. Some of the cows are inbred. also cow breeds that live in hot and dry conditions, generally, have tougher meat and are less tasty. I would guess that most of the beef from australia is from the outback, which is why its of poor quality. However, if you are getting some beef from an angus, either black or red, that was raised in the more southern and temperate areas of Australia you should be fine.

also more and more feed lots are being built in Australia so the cattle can be fattened up before slaughter.