Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Tristan]

Talk - Big news on the Korean peninsula today! It looks like Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, more commonly known as "mad cow disease," is rearing its ugly head. Oh, wait a second, that was six years ago on another continent.

Last week, South Korea's president, Lee Myung-bak, made a historic visit to the USA and the first of his term, to strengthen ties between the two countries. During his time there, he signed an agreement lifting a 6 year old South Korean ban on American beef imports. Finally, a South Korean president willing to diplomatically usher his country in the right direction. There are two practical reasons why I believe this is good for our respective countries:

1.) I'll no longer have to pay $30 for a shitty Korean beef cut at VIPs.
2.) This brings the USA and South Korea that much closer to closing a free trade agreement.

Despite this, Koreans are working themselves into an angry frenzy over the recent deal and some protesters have been impetuous enough to call for Lee Myung-bak's impeachment.

So what's the "beef" with American beef? In 2003, on a remote cattle ranch in the USA, an imported cow bearing the classic symptoms of mad cow disease was discovered. Mad cow disease is linked to a fatal human strain called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, or vCJD. Shortly after this news reached the airwaves, several countries banned imports of American beef from fear of contamination. Though this was an isolated case, which was immediately dealt with, a huge blow was struck to the American cattle industry. Nonetheless, the international response was understandable. Mexico, Australia, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore were among the countries that banned imported American beef. Until last week, only a single one of those countries retained that ban - South Korea.

In respect to so many other issues, I must say that I find the Korean outcry quite typical. The very people who are raising themselves into an anti-America delirium, holding candle light vigils, and even asking students to skip school to protest, display classic signs of the leftist Korean media brain washing them into submission: anger, xenophobia, lack of facts, and diminished rationality.

Hey Korea! Here are some cold, hard facts for you to swallow. There have been 3 isolated cases of mad cow disease in the history of the USA. How many people were infected or contracted the human strain? 0. How many Koreans were harmed by U.S. beef? 0. Statistically, you're probably less likely to be harmed by American beef than you are to get struck by a meteor from the sky. Instead of griping about our beef you need to worry about the spread of Avian Influenza. Today, the Seoul government confirmed that an outbreak of the bird flu had spread across South Korea. However, I find it highly ironic that these same protesters eat 닭갈비 (a Korean chicken dish) regularly.

I guess I don't have much to complain about though. Despite the protests, it looks like beef is what's for dinner.

[Bryan]

If the KOR-US FTA gets enacted I guarantee your cost of living is going to drop drastically. Korea has an extremely protected market, especially for most foodstuffs. Allowing free trade will put those farmers out of business because they can't compete--and consequently make 99.9% of the population richer because they won't have to pay for overpriced protected goods. This in turn will allow people to distribute their money into other areas of the economy, including English education.

[cangel]

The scaremongering being propelled by the Korean media is not based in scientific fact. I, for one, welcome cheaper and higher quality beef. Hanwoo beef is pretty craptacular considering the price.

[Jarome_Turner]

[Hollywoodaction]

Not based on scientific fact? Well, actually very few cows are tested in the US for the disease, only about 100 per day out of the thousands slaughtered, so people have some reason to be concerned. Sure, the odds of getting sick from eating American beef are fairly low, but given the protests it would be wise to test all the cows and pass on the expense to the consumers. As a matter of fact, Koreans aren't the only one concerned with the safety of American beef. American consumer groups are demanding that all cows slaughtered in the US be tested for mad cow disease.

The Korean government should ensure that all beef, both domestic and imported, be tested. It's a simple solution that would appease the fears of the consumers who seem to think that there is a significant risk. Then again, is it really about mad cow disease?

[cangel]

Not based in scientific fact because meat is at no risk of carrying the disease. Unless you are in the habit of consuming spinal tissue or brains (which some people do) then you are at no risk of contracting the disease. Not based in scientific fact. But you are right... Is this really about the safety?

[Hollywoodaction]

[ernie]

the 'beef' has nothing to do with anti-americanism or scaremongering but rather with the way 2MB pushed through his agenda without consulting koreans, the korean beef council, or the korean health agency... americans knew of his decision before koreans did!

2MB proclaims himself as 'the CEO of korea', which is a bad sign for this country... presidents are supposed to act as leaders, not corporate executives!

[crusher_of_heads]

[flakfizer]

There are a couple articles from the Chosun Ilbo on the other thread dealing with this topic here: http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/posting.php?mode=quote&p=1639295








http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200805/200805020015.html

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200805/200805070013.html

A few quotes from the above: