Behind South Koreans' Worries About U.S. Beef

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Actually it is a myth that US beef undergoes some of the most stringent health inspections in the world as far as BSE is concerned. Europeans and Japanese have established far more stringent standards where all cattle are inspected for potential BSEs. In the US, only 10% are inspected. (Granted, the Europeans underwent the nightmarish outbreaks of human mad cow epidemic but the Japanese didn't.) Also, despite the recent improvements, US still has less strict regulations on feedstuff than many other countries thanks to the intense lobbying of cattle growers.
Secondly, Koreans were never asking for more safe options at the "same" price. Cattles in Australia and New Zealand were never fed any animal ingredients for any period in history. Not a single BSE case have ever been found from them. Beef from the two countries are widely available in the Korean market and while they are somewhat more expensive than US beef (but not by much), many Korean consumers choose them for their safety.

galleria of NJ 10:38AM December 26, 2008

The koreans respond unrealistically. Yet I think the Americans may do more inspections of the cows to earn more cosumer confidence.

Amos 6:40AM September 11, 2008

What is racist is assuming that foreigners are too stupid to know about golbangi and bondaegi which were mentioned and available in every grocery store, as well as more traditionally available countryside cuisine such as grasshoppers (maetduggi) and frogs (gaeguri). Not to mention Boshintang (dog meat) which Seoul is currently resuming inspections of; to much controversy as it has been uninspected and unregulated since 1988 and in the wake of the beef protests some in government recognize the hypocrisy of other kinds of uninspected disease carrying meat.
I'm tired of Koreans making stupid accusations of racism to hide their own embarrassment about the truth (which is odd, because people of other countries are not so embarrassed to admit that they eat unusual cuisine, such as snails...). It looks more foolish when the truth comes out and they have protested too much...
So Passerby, you need to calm down, admit that other people are aware of foods in Korea, and apologize for wild accusations of racism. In addition, what race were you referring to?

Omniphage 8:42PM July 17, 2008

I thought it was really interesting that because of Korean dietary habits, they are at greater risk for mad cow disease. It makes more sense that Koreans are so sensitive about this issue. But really, as a consumer of American beef all my life, the South Koreans really need to lighten up.

sufreeto of CA 2:20AM June 28, 2008

actually koreans do eat snails and silk worm larvae respectively called "golbangi" and "bondaegi ...

11:49PM June 27, 2008

South Koreans DO NOT eat worms and beetles. They don't eat snails either, unless they go to a foreign food restaurant where snails are sold. Such comment can only come from an ignorant racist imbecile.
And the mad cow disease does not come from germs. It comes from the prion protein.

A Passerby of 6:19PM June 18, 2008

Let's see, well we have had some home grown "spinach" sicken and kill a few people and that was right after the "beef" scare. Then along comes the "tomato" problem. Gee what's it gonna be next "cheese" ? Oh, wait, uh geeeeeeze. And people wonder why other nations just look at us as a perfect example of the historical "Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire". Our infrastructure, in matters large and small, is rapidly falling apart.

Marcus Taylor of CA 1:39AM June 18, 2008

Such flap about US Beef from a country that eats raw eels,snails,sea cucumbers,seaweed,raw fish,worms,grasshoppers,beetles,.....and they are afraid of germs from US Beef....right.

zdskypilot of CT 7:26PM June 17, 2008

It explains very well about the issue and many circumstances surrounding the issue. I hope this controversy results in more stringent safety inspections for U.S. products. We let too many of Milton Friedman's disciples hurt businesses and consumers alike with reckless deregulations for the last several years.
Like Al Gore said, even dogs and cats now know that elections matter because reckless deregulations of the past put their lives in danger also. if we don't make the our country better, even dogs and cats will marginalize our country.

A Passerby of 7:19PM June 17, 2008

I do not understand the Koreans' problem. American beef undergoes some of the most stringent - yet NOT PERFECT - health inspections in the world. Koreans are terrified? I wholly doubt it at all. More scare words to fill the empty space of paper.
If they are so afraid, let them try to get better beef with higher health guarantees at the same prices from other nations in the world. Can't be done.
This is just more political claptrap in a feeble attempt to marginalize the US. They don;t like it, go elsewhere. I hear their having a big sale in Venezuela.

OMNIUS of VA 3:28PM June 17, 2008