Comments on: Thousands Protest U.S. Beef In S. Korea

Police Fire Water Cannons Into Crowds Of South Koreans Protesting U.S. Beef Imports

[hokimonki]

I strongly insist that the rally in Korea is not anymore about US beef. It is about the corrupt Lee Administration who only works for the wealthiest 2% of Koreans. Import of US beef without regulation was just the beginning of the rally. The Lee Administration is also promoting the privatization of health care, electricity, water supply and other public goods. They cut the budget for social welfare and are trying to reduce tax for the rich. And it has only been 3 months since the administration started. People wonder what is next.

The foreign mass media says that it is about US beef and implies that Anti-American sentiment has something to do with it.

Believe me (I live in the States and my husband and my son are both Americans). Koreans are only opposed to US beef older than 30 months. Koreans are particularly concerned about beef from old cows because old cows have a higher risk of mad cow disease and Koreans use cow organs and bones for various cooking. We have no concern nor opposition to beef younger then 20 month which is what Japan imports from the US.

Again, it started as a protest of "OLD" US beef but now it is all about the corrupt and arrogant President Lee who is a dictator.

[hokimonki]

I strongly insist that the rally in Korea is not anymore about US beef. It is about the corrupt Lee Administration who only works for the wealthiest 2% of Koreans. Import of US beef without regulation was just the beginning of the rally. The Lee Administration is also promoting the privatization of health care, electricity, water supply and other public goods. They cut the budget for social welfare and are trying to reduce tax for the rich. And it has only been 3 months since the administration started. People wonder what is next.

The foreign mass media says that it is about US beef and implies that Anti-American sentiment has something to do with it.

Believe me (I live in the States and my husband and my son are both Americans). Koreans are only opposed to US beef older than 30 months. Koreans are particularly concerned about beef from old cows because old cows have a higher risk of mad cow disease and Koreans use cow organs and bones for various cooking. We have no concern nor opposition to beef younger then 20 month which is what Japan imports from the US.

Again, it started as a protest of "OLD" US beef but now it is all about the corrupt and arrogant President Lee who is a dictator.

[hokimonki]

I strongly insist that the rally in Korea is not anymore about US beef. It is about the corrupt Lee Administration who only works for the wealthiest 2% of Koreans. Import of US beef without regulation was just the beginning of the rally. The Lee Administration is also promoting the privatization of health care, electricity, water supply and other public goods. They cut the budget for social welfare and are trying to reduce tax for the rich. And it has only been 3 months since the administration started. People wonder what is next.

The foreign mass media says that it is about US beef and implies that Anti-American sentiment has something to do with it.

Believe me (I live in the States and my husband and my son are both Americans). Koreans are only opposed to US beef older than 30 months. Koreans are particularly concerned about beef from old cows because old cows have a higher risk of mad cow disease and Koreans use cow organs and bones for various cooking. We have no concern nor opposition to beef younger then 20 month which is what Japan imports from the US.

Again, it started as a protest of "OLD" US beef but now it is all about the corrupt and arrogant President Lee who is a dictator.

[hokimonki]

I strongly insist that the rally in Korea is not anymore about US beef. It is about the corrupt Lee Administration who only works for the wealthiest 2% of Koreans. Import of US beef without regulation was just the beginning of the rally. The Lee Administration is also promoting the privatization of health care, electricity, water supply and other public goods. They cut the budget for social welfare and are trying to reduce tax for the rich. And it has only been 3 months since the administration started. People wonder what is next.

The foreign mass media says that it is about US beef and implies that Anti-American sentiment has something to do with it.

Believe me (I live in the States and my husband and my son are both Americans). Koreans are only opposed to US beef older than 30 months. Koreans are particularly concerned about beef from old cows because old cows have a higher risk of mad cow disease and Koreans use cow organs and bones for various cooking. We have no concern nor opposition to beef younger then 20 month which is what Japan imports from the US.

Again, it started as a protest of "OLD" US beef but now it is all about the corrupt and arrogant President Lee who is a dictator.

[knewscbs]

The solution of this demonstration by Korean people is rather simple.
The Lee administratin just says "We are ''sorry'' for this renegotiation but our people really want to restrict the import of beef from old cows and beef containing the SRM and ARM" to the US government.
Let me repeat: Korean people are not stupid. They all know Korea has to import the US beef and other items (cars, too). But they do not want to eat the beef from sick cows (FDA cannot guarantee that US beef is not from sick cows -why" again they do not enforce testing of all cows ; only less than 1.0% of all the cows processed in a year are tested!).

[knewscbs]

The reason is simple:
first there is no other country to buy this kind of beef in the world - only Canada and Korea.
second, it should be an economic decision while protecting its sovereign rights to inspection (for the rights to healthy life of its people). But this Lee adminstration is too pro_America and actually decides to protect the profits of the US beef industry while abandoning the fundamental rights of Korean people. Why does Korea have to import the risky meat that Japan and other countries do not import at all?

[knewscbs]

Yet the US government allows for the cross-feeding of animal feeds. Hogs and chicken are fed with the meat and bones of old cows (, which the Beef industry cannot sell as beef in the US market;including ''downers'')and the cows are fed with the meat and bones from hogs and chikens. The risk of being infected by the prion in this siutain may be much higher than the American consumers feel these days. More importantly, there is no data in the US. Why? The USDA does not enforce the testing of all cows before slaughter; the reason is obvioous - the profits to the beef processing industry will be lowered. Japan does test all the cows and asks the US industry to test all the cows to be processes and to be exported into Japanese market. Japan only imports the beef from cows 20-month old or younger. Then why does Korea have to imort the US beef from old cows?

[knewscbs]

The US beef industry is selling the beef from cows 30-month old or older only to Canada and Korea. Canada is an exceptional case given that the mad cow disease cases were already found in its territory and they have to export their cows/beef to the US.
But Korea is not able to sell its beef to the US yet - even though the cause of this ban was already resolved a few years ago. And Korea has to also import the SRM (specific risk materials)and ARM. I understand the FDA bans the use of the ARM for the school lunch.
The fear of eating the US beef is partially related to the US government policies.
For example, the FDA has been trying to implement the ban of animal feeds for cows since the outbreak ofthe mad cow disease in the US in 2003.
Yet that policy is not being implemented; guess who is behind this delay?
Many scientists say the beef from old cows (for example, 30-month old or older) has a higher probability of infection by the "prion". And the animal feed is the main cause of the mad cow disease until now; scientists keep researching the causes and prevention measures of this mad cow disease and the human mad cow disease (e.g., vCJD).

[knewscbs]

I think many American citizens'' commenents on this news artcile seem to come from misunderstanding of the reality of Korea.
It seems that the article also point out the key issue in this demonstration by Korean people is the resumption of US beef import into Korea.
But Korean people is not asking for the complete ban of the US beef import.

[hypnotoad72]

Using Korean logic, we should ban the importation and or use of Kia & Hyundai since they kill more Americans than American beef kills Koreans.

Posted by downsteamjim
------------------------

Good call.

[lindh4]

Few people seem to understand the US beef market. From cow-calf operations in the mid-west (Nebraska, primarily) calves are injected with growth hormones at about 60 days age. At about 10 months, they are trucked to large feedlots and finished at about 16 months, weighing around 1300 lbs. Some are held back a little longer and may grade prime.

Cows are productive to age 9 or 10, and then become canners and cutters (canned beef/hamburger)along with non productive bulls.

There is a small market for grass fed beef, but it lacks the marbling for quality steaks. I don''t know what the Koreans are buying but I suspect they want choice or prime beef.

There is still no serious penalty for feeding animal residue to cattle in the US. It''s simply an accident waiting to happen. And with the price of grain, cattle feeders may be tempted to substitute animal residue.

[bcweitzel]

Good call, downsteamjim. Let them eat their cars!

I say if that''s the way they want to be let''s give them to the North Koreans. Don''t like our beef? Then our servicepeople don''t like your country!

[downsteamjim]

Hey NuaghtCuty: What is with 30 year old cows? How about 30 month old.

[downsteamjim]

Using Korean logic, we should ban the importation and or use of Kia & Hyundai since they kill more Americans than American beef kills Koreans.

[trenticus-2009]

naughtycuty, You''re an idiot ....

[naughtycuty]

what you guys are saying here seems so dumb and immature. have you ever looked up the trade agreement between S.korea and US about this Beef issue?
S.korea is importing U.S cattle which is younger than 30 years old. it means they would import cattle which is in age of between 20 and 30. do yo know cattle which is older than 20 is most likely to be infected by mad cow disease? you wouldnt know cuz you are eating only pure and safe cattle younger than 20 in ur every day meal. you dont even care how this can affect the korean people. In addition I know U.S cattle is still fed by recycled meat and bones from dead or infected cattle even though they say they dont. S.korea also agreed not to immediately halt imports even if a new case of mad cow disease is discovered in the U.S. Instead, korea would only move to halt imports if the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health downgrades its safety rating for American cattle. I have a lot of things to say, but I gtg so I just wanna finish saying how dumb it is to comment your own biased opinion when you dont even actually know what this exatly means.

[floydzeppl]

Its amazing how CBS (Communist Broadcast System) keeps reprinting this months old story to make America look bad. Korean people live on a steady diet of street dog but they are outraged at the prospect of importing bad old American Beef. Sounds like another Democrat (DNC) Talking Point for O''''Bama.

Posted by demslie at 10:40 AM : Jun 01, 2008
----------

Look how you right nutwing Freakvannies have made America hated by everyone.

Dumass Failure Republicans.

[demslie]

Its amazing how CBS (Communist Broadcast System) keeps reprinting this months old story to make America look bad. Korean people live on a steady diet of street dog but they are outraged at the prospect of importing bad old American Beef. Sounds like another Democrat (DNC) Talking Point for O''Bama.

[irliberal]

Oi, carnivores! [rolls eyes]

[itgranny]

h5mind: you and everyone like you need to be educated in farming practices. You listen too much to the lies and half-truths PETA spreads and take it to be the god-honest truth.