American Beef

As Korean and U.S. delegates sealed a deal last week on Korea’s full opening of its beef market to U.S. products, many consumers here are looking forward to “L.A. galbi” at restaurants and in their homes from as early as the middle of next month. But the resumption of U.S. beef imports after more than four years’ suspension since the outbreak of mad cow disease in the United States is yet another cause of social and political conflict.

Rep. Kang Ki-gap, the long-bearded, traditionally clad National Assemblyman from the Democratic Labor Party, is on a hunger strike in front of Cheong Wa Dae, denouncing the bilateral beef accord, which he believes will be “murderous” to farmers. The United Democratic Party, whose Assembly strength will shrink to a mere 81 seats as a result of the April 9 elections, is preparing to take part in protests, in alliance with farmers’ organizations this weekend. The former ruling party equated the beef deal with offering tribute to Washington.

Those who oppose it, however, know well that, as it is linked to ratification of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, the opening of the local beef market to U.S. import is inevitable. What politicians should do now is study how local cattle raisers should be helped to stave off the difficulties which will come as protectionism diminishes. They need to encourage government authorities to work out and implement effective measures for tax cuts and a cheaper and easier supply of cattle feed for livestock farms. Instigating farmers’ protests will lead to nothing positive.

“There is a way to survive, even if heaven falls to earth,” our poor farmers said in ancient times. And the only way to survive is to produce top-quality “hanwoo” (Korean cows) to meet the demands of discriminating consumers, whose number is definitely growing. Those who are agitating should consider the fact that Koreans have been forced to eat the most expensive beef in the world these past four years.