Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

Civic GRPs Protest's Korean Retailers' Decision to Sell US Beef
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/081126/4/3so1q.html
SUWON, Nov 26 Asia Pulse - A local civic group rallied Wednesday in front of a major discount outlet, urging the retailer to rethink its decision to sell U.S. beef.
Some 30 people from the People's Association Against Mad Cow Disease gathered at a Home Plus location in Suwon, a city just south of Seoul, holding signs reading, "Do not sell dangerous U.S. beef!"

"The U.S. inspection protocol on the mad cow disease is not trustworthy. If major stores start selling the U.S. beef, South Koreans will be exposed to the potential danger of the disease," the group said in a statement.

South Korea was the third-largest importer of U.S. beef, after Japan and Mexico, until a blanket ban was imposed in 2003 following the discovery of a case of mad cow disease in the U.S. state of Washington.

After rounds of negotiations, Seoul agreed in April to resume U.S. beef imports. But fears over the brain-wasting illness stirred thousands of South Koreans to take to the streets daily for months on end throughout the summer, demanding the deal be renegotiated.

President Lee Myung-bak apologized twice to the public over the issue, and the import agreement was partially amended to introduce stronger health safeguards.

When imports resumed in June, the demand for U.S. beef surged, although the sales were limited mostly to smaller butcher shops, fueled by the price competitiveness compared to homegrown beef.

South Korea's top three discount chains -- E-Mart, Home Plus and Lottemart -- had been reluctant to stock U.S. beef at their sales counter, worried about public reaction and their reputation after the large-scale demonstrations.

"We urge the South Korean government to come up with measures to prevent the disease from breaking out in the country," the protesters said.

After reading their statement, the protesters went inside the store and marched chanting, "No to U.S. beef."

(Yonhap)

[wylies99]

[esetters21]

[Typhoon]

The funny thing is WHO states that Korean beef has a higher risk for mad-cow then American beef. Until the whole SBS thing Korea refused to test sick cows for BSE, but then it became apparent that Korean beef could have more problems then "dangerous US beef", hence all the signs at restaurants assuring customers that their beef is from Austrailia. There will be cases of human BSE here in the future, it will probably be blames on the good old USA, but in reality it will probably have come from hanwoo. Can't wait for that shit storm to hit.

[Xuanzang]

I will go and pan fry, grill, so gogi sal USDA homegrown beef right infront of them and eat it ALL. be full, satisfied and glutton. Are these people from the 12th century, or what?

[ChopChaeJoe]

Let's be fair. Most of these protesters are idots who took no time to get educated. that being said. Who knows what the riskk of mad cow disease is? the only true way to be safe is to eat no beef whatsoever. That said, I take the risk and eat it. I don't eat korean beef if i can help it because I saw that news expose about dog farmers feeding their dogs dog meat (mad dog disease?) and i suspect that cow farmers (they aren't ranchers because there isn't enough room for proper ranches) do likewise to their cows.

Because cow is fed to chickens and chicken run-off is fed to cows in America, there is a definite risk. Knock on wood, it's a reasonable risk.

In the end, we're all going to die of something. dying from holes growing in your brain sounds pretty horrible. (up to ten years latency!) I disagree with 90% of the protesters, but i support their right to protest.

I remember being happy when the mad cow scare hit America, as I thought prices would plunge. They didn't.

It's a complex issue.

[Young FRANKenstein]

At least they didn't throw buckets of feces at the meat counter people this time.

[traxxe]

I was at homeplus shopping (I live in Suwon) and they were outside. Unfortunately there was no American beef to buy. I did get one hell of an evil glare by some Koreans though. I just smiled and said, "Sorry, no beef here! Hypocrite Koreans bought it before I could get a chance!

Kinda makes me wish I knew Korean because they were hissing a few things.

[PeteJB]

Hissing things at you simply because you are pale and look American without any verification, is what you mean?

[sojusucks]

It's another excuse to react against Korea's ally, that's right, the good ol' USA. Koreans have a strong obsession with the US. Why is that? I guess Koreans secretly want to be them.

[Milwaukiedave]

I still am standing by my prediction that a grocery store is going to get burnt down by these nut cases.

As for their choice of where to protest, I wonder if that was just a coincidence or did they purposely choose a store that was half owned by a foreign entity (TESCO) rather then E-Mart, HomeEver or LotteMart.

[louiloui]

I bought US beef at my local grocery store. It was labeled LA Galbi. The cashier ajumma started muttering with the bag ajoshi about it, and soon enough there was a regular crowd to watch the American guy buy American beef. I still think they were more amazed at the fact that I knew what beef looked like.

"Have you ever eaten cow meat?"

"Yes."

"Waoooooooooooooooooooooooo."

[wylies99]

[Milwaukiedave]

[travelingfool]

Please tell me that most Koreans are not this stupid? Someone please tell me that this is a fringe element and that most Koreans can think a little more objectively? Anyone?

They should be protesting about all the hormones and other crap they feed these cows.