Not sure if this will be filed away as “waving the white flag” by anyone, but the U.S. Beef industry appears to be okay with exporting beef from cattle 30 months or younger. To meet the desires of the Korean customer, three associations representing the U.S. beef industry delivered a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer and U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab today.
Highlights of the letter:
While the U.S. beef industry is confident that all beef produced in the United States is safe regardless of age, at the request of Korean meat importers to address consumer concerns, the U.S. beef industry is prepared to limit exports to Korea to only products from cattle less than thirty months of age under a program verified by USDA as a transitional measure to full market opening consistent with OIE guidelines….
The U.S. beef industry respects and is responsive to the marketplace, consumer demand, and the principle of consumer choice. We value our relationships with our Korean customers and are committed to meeting their needs and addressing their concerns as U.S. beef returns to the Korean market.
The letter was signed by the U.S. Meat Export Federation, American Meat Institute and the National Meat Association and represents an earnest step forward in addressing Korean public concerns and getting things back on track. I just hope the Korean public doesn’t see this as a green light to demand more concessions, which will likely only fray their relations with not only the American beef industry, but with the U.S. in general.
16 Comments
Since this is what the US beef industry wanted also right from the beginning, it’s not a white flag for anyone except for the expaticons.
Basically 2MegaBytes jumped the gun on the deal.
Sorry Wangkon, but I doubt this would not be enough for many.
They are still holding another round of 48 hour Candlelight vigil - this after the announcement. And they’ve already planned another mass national rally. The protesters have already said it’s not going to be enough. There has to be some level of trust of the US government and US meat industry (otherwise there is no God’s possible way to satisfy their demands), but the protesters have already made up their mind that whatever the US side does, it won’t be enough.
But I think there is a glimmer of hope if many people get turned off by the cyber bullying.
If this isn’t enough for the waxheads, me thinks LMB needs to grow a pair and water cannon them to oblivion…
Disclaimer: Water cannon is simply an analogy to the variety of methods LMB can use to give the waxheads the finger…
A proper Korean demo is not complete without box containers, candlelight, and water cannons.
Expaticon? What does that mean?
Don’t know… maybe it’s a convention kinda like Comic-con, where grown adults dress-up like Star Wars and Japanese manga characters?..
Nah, it’s got to do something with Neocon.
Times have changed. I miss the good ol’ days of Vaseline-coated masked students flinging Molotov cocktails, laborers in red headbands wielding long, steel pipes, Darth Vader helmets cowering behind gray shields, and grabbers swinging trunchons, all in a haze of tear gas.
It doesn’t matter since it was never about the beef anyways.
Makes perfect sense that this would be a government ploy to show that they are on the ball. Especially since Homever will soon be rebranded as Homeplus and probably doesn’t mind damaging the Homever brand.
Of course the US beef industry is willing to address the issue. They not only want beef in Korea, but consumer confidence so that it sells as well. As long as their beef is allowed in they will bend over backwards to make the people, (not 2MB), happy.
I wonder if cm is one of them extreme right wing 또라이 types who regularly sprout illogical, wacko right wingish statements in the Chojoondong and TV. Which I might add helps reinforce the image of right wingers as being out of touch with reality.
(OK lefties are also the same, but we are talking about righties here, so…)
Well I wouldn’t exactly call it as “waving the white flag”. Businesses whether they be Korean or American have to keep their customers happy in order to ensure that their products sell. And considering that what the Korean customer is requesting isn’t something that is drastic, it seems that the US beef industry decided it is more “profitable” to go along.
All in a typical day of keeping your customers happy.
“I wonder if cm is one of them extreme right wing 또라이 types ”
Righties and Lefties go together.
Have some kimbap, Mins.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
LOL, cm, that’s the most sensible thing you’ve said since starting your line of Chosun linked mad cow commenting.
So, I guess that the protesters will be going home…
@15 Ya think?