Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jake_Kim]

Actually I posted my article first as a reply to one of the topics below. But then I thought I might post it as an independent topic of my own as well.
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I can see some of Westerners here eager to bash Korean demonstrators or totally ignorant (or more likely, indifferent) why they're out on the street. I say you folks are missing the point here.

S Korea is already importing loads of FOREIGN beef, for example, from Australia. It it were a xenophobic, 'made-in-Korea-or-nothing' sort of issue, then Koreans should've protested against Australian beef as well. But they aren't.

Then is it another resurrection of anti-American movement like back in 2002? Then Koreans should be demonstrating in front of U.S. Embassy as they did 6 years ago, burning the Star Spangled Banner. Yet, this time, people are pretty much pissed at President Lee, not the Americans.

Then why is it an "Anti-US Beef" demonstration? "US Beef" itself is a misleading blanket term, missing small details that Koreans are focusing on. One of the focal points among Koreans now is the speculation of 'mad-cow' disease. Is the fear exaggerated? Of course it is. Is it complete nonsense? Well, not if you love beef bone soup/stew like Koreans do.

Hundred thousands of Americans wolf down American beef everyday, but they rarely touch bones or intestines. Few exception would be bone pieces in BBQ ribs or T-bone steak. Never heard of Americans going after beef bone marrow, have you? OTOH, Koreans do, if you've been paying attention.

Scientists (that being American and British included) say the substance suspected of causing mad-cow disease are concentrated in certain parts of a cow. American consumers don't need to give a crap about what these parts are, as they usually consume nice juicy flesh only, except for veggans. But these parts, including spine and intestines, are among the 'consumable' parts of a cow in Korean diet, hence causing different rate of exposure to the suspected substance from their American conterparts. Is it proven that the substance surely causes 'human mad-cow disease'? The answer from the scientists so far is 'we don't know for 100% certain.' Then why would you volunteer for lab rats?

Then there comes regulatory issue. It is widely believed in Korea that to-be-imported U.S. beef is of lower grade than that of domestic U.S. market. If all beef were the same, why do Americans have 'grade' on beef and bother to look for 'organic beef'? Furthermore, there's the FDA regulation with regards to the quality control of beef in domestic U.S. market.

The term that S. Korean government signed on regarding beef imports contains loosened regulation on the quality control, almost irresponsible compared to FDA standards and too loosened to give American exporters an ecstasy. Well, exporters are just merchants, so no blame on them. Why is there a regulatory body for food (in both countries) in the first place? So the blame is on S Korean government not doing their job well.

You folks are missing the point that even those protesting on the street at the center of the city are willing to consume the same, clean, guaranteed grade of U.S. beef that is being consumed firsthand in American market. What they don't like is, though, that S Korean government did a lousy job in maintaining control and regulation on what to import and what to block, henceforth exposing Korean consumers to the reverse selection in which good U.S. beef and contaminated U.S. beef are mixed altogether somewhere in the chain of supply.

In this process, in addition, suspected dishonesty of wholesalers and retailers certainly make their contribution. Koreans have experienced similar cases of food contamination several times in other types of food before, so the same conjecture applies to U.S. beef as well.

And there's the issue of secondary product - such as condiments with ground beef, etc. - that occupies large portion of Korean consumers' fear. There's no way companies would make these products with top-grade sirloin. Then it means lowest and cheapest grades of beef being used, probably unworthy of any other commercial potential and possibly unwanted but regulated in American market. Now that S Korean government voluntarily obliterated regulations, why not 'recycle' some of these beef parts by exporting it to Korean companies? Hell, I would if I were an exporter.

Thus, the blame is on S Korean government again, who'd better regulate exporters and importers, wholesalers and retailers, as well as food manufacturers who might have certain degree of 'moral hazard.' But to Koreans' opinion, it looks as if the government is giving up being accountable, from the top down. And that's what pisses them off.

I'm not going to claim within my article that S Korea is xenophobia-free society or there is no faction at all dwelling on and provoking anti-Americanism. But this particular issue of beef import has nothing to do with xenophobia, and the anger is not directed towards the US but to the S Korean government. Stop wheezing, drop your Orientalism if any, look deeper. It's a matter of self-preservation for S Korean consumers.

[Matman]

Your article is an interesting study in ignorance. It doesn't take much research to establish that spine and intestines and all the potentially infectious parts of the cow are banned from entering the food chain in the US and almost everywhere else in the world. These parts are removed and destroyed at the slaughterhouse and will never be exported. If it's still getting into the Korean food chain then that's worrying and makes me not want to eat Korean meat.

In any case there hasn't been a single case of BSE in the USA since 2006 so your chances of catching BSE from US beef are 0.

[ajgeddes]

[Kimchieluver]

[Jake_Kim]

[Matman]

[maximreality]

[RJjr]

Your post is well-written and makes a lot of good points, especially about Korea's willingness to import beef from Australia and elsewhere. The part I mainly disagree with pertains to bone marrow.

[Matman]

[maximreality]

[Matman]

I doubt he's a troll. He seems to be just very misinformed and very gullible - like many Koreans.

[Jake_Kim]

[Jake_Kim]

[maximreality]

[Fresh Prince]

I agree that U.S. beef industry needs to clean up its act, however I think there is more to the issue. In the wider scheme of things, a free-trade agreement between Korea and the U.S., and an additional agreement between Japan and the U.S., is being negotiated at this time, and drumming up nationalistic sentiment towards consumer products in both countries would strengthen the negotiating ability of each country in terms of trade concessions. Additionally, the current direction of U.S. trade will likely change in the up-coming U.S. elections, and both sides in power are under pressure to resolve issues in a timely manner, as their bargaining position could substantially change if their is a dramatic power shift in the U.S..