'Mad Cow, you eat it!'

Quick! How many Americans have died of mad cow disease in the past year?

If you are one of tens of thousands of South Koreans taking to the streets to protest the renewed import of U.S. beef, you probably think Americans are dying regularly.

I came across this news story that suggests seven people may have died in the United States last year from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, but the U.S. press certainly doesn’t link these deaths definitively to mad cow disease.

Judging by the U.S. press, there isn’t a significant problem with mad cow disease in the United States.

But judging by the South Korean press, the problem is major. And many South Koreans probably think the real facts are being covered up.

I bring this up because protests have been growing in size in South Korea against U.S. beef imports, and the growth has been a little difficult to understand. Among foreign journalists who regularly go to South Korea, myself included, we often say that South Koreans like to take to the streets. They gather together. They sing old protest songs. They light candles. Hey, what’s not to like?

But that doesn’t really explain this explosion of protest against President Lee Myung-bak, who came to office in late February but has seen his popularity plummet to, by some indications, barely 20 percent of the voters. Some 70,000 protesters gathered Tuesday night in Seoul

Here’s the explanation offered by a newsletter called Nightwatch, that is a daily compendium of analysis of events off the front pages of newspapers but worthy of attention. If this analysis is right, then mad cow disease has less to do with these protests then sudden unhappiness with the Lee administration over a variety of factors, some quite unrelated to the safety of beef.

Feedback from a well-informed and brilliant Reader advised that the protests against US beef imports are driven by an underlying disappointment and hostility to President Lee’s government. Lee won a landslide electoral victory based on his promises of economic prosperity, increased per capita income for all and tougher policies in dealing with North Korea. One hundred days into his administration, South Korea has been buffeted by high prices for food and fuel. South Korea is completely dependent on imported oil.

The demonstrations are more about the increased cost of living, a perception of favoritism for the wealthy and lack of progress in keeping his campaign promises. In their own inimitable fashion, the South Koreans will register their discontent in the streets in huge rallies which always carry the risk of street escalations.

Lee would seem to have few options. He will dismiss some cabinet officials, as scapegoats, but they are not responsible for the problems generating the outbursts. He can buy time by reimposing the ban on US beef imports, but the opposition leaders will shift focus to rising food and fuel costs. Large protests are likely to continue.  In an earlier time, continuation of demonstrations on this scale would lead to a military coup, imposition of a state of emergency or the resignation of the President. The situation is not that grave … yet.

Here are a couple of paragraphs from another news story that I found interesting:

Until the discovery of mad cow disease in the US in 2003, South Korea was the third largest importer of US beef, spending $850 million year. It eased the ban in 2006 only to find backbones, a banned substance, lurking in the beef and reban it, impounding 5,300 tons. Now the meat, which has been in storage, is rumored to soon be released. Will it be billed as fresh?

Of course there are other dangerous meats in the South Korean diet. No hygiene regulations govern the millions of dogs slaughtered for food each year says the Herald Sun, because they are not considered livestock.

For now, the protesters will probably remain in the streets, shouting slogans like, “Mad Cow, You eat it!” and “Mad Cow Drives our People Mad!”

Comments

[A B]

Mad Cow? Is that still an issue?

I thought she quit the race.

[Wilbur Varela]

all this, from a people who bury stinky fermented cabbage in the ground until it rots, and then eats it?

and if you saw what my dog gets into, you wouldn't be too quick to eat one.

[A B]

@Wilber....

Why... I didn't know about your relations with your dog!

[A B]

Technical correction:

"quit the race" should read "suspended her campaign"

[Wilbur Varela]

Senor A B,

yes, my friend, didn't I tell you? I have a wonderful dog. And two cats. We keep them as pets here in the states.

That may come as a surprise.

We also don't eat the gall bladders of bears, live snakes or crushed tiger bones. Although, there is this one taco truck in our neighborhood.....lets just say I have my suspicions.

[A B]

@Wilbur...

Um.... I think I mean some other kind of "relations".

Or should I say "knowledge".

Your leg(s) have been rather pulled.

[jeff]

China imported American beef too. Haven't heard any Mad Cow in China yet. Do heard some people died while making love American style. Shall Korean ban that too?

[Marvin L Foushee]

The Chinese press seems to be interested in clearing the matter up for Tim Johnson. They state that not one person has died from the human form of mad cow disease called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease from eating American beef. However, to be on the safe side, maybe we should not eat the part of the cow that swats flies until the South Koreans settle the matter with the Americans.

[Scientists believe mad cow disease leads to the spongy-like degeneration of the brain, medically referred to as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, when a human contracts the disease by eating infected food.

About 200 people have died around the world from the disease, but according to the U.S. government, no human infection has been reported from eating American beef.

South Korea has declared it will indefinitely delay putting the April deal in effect until Washington or U.S. exporters agree to refrain from exporting beef from cows aged 30 months or older. But it has not addressed the controversy over parts to be imported.

The U.S. side has yet to respond formally to South Korea's request.]

[Eve]

I don't know about Mad Cow disease, but U.S. agriculture rules are lax in terms of treatment of animals. It takes a scandel to bring even a little change, like the video of cows being forklifted into the slaughter box as they couldn't walk anymore. Now USDA closed that loophole in the law. But I suspect many remain.

[James Cochran]

If anyone is curious what carrying on a conversation with a random member of the public through the medium of writing graffitti on a bathroom stall in the restroom of a run down gas station off a busy interstate should follow the illuminating wit and wisdom of the crew of regular commentators on this forum.

[Pffefer]

Varela,

So what the Koreans love kimchee (much better than the fat-ass American junk food)? So what the Koreans and the Chinese eat stuff you don't eat? So what?

[Junhui]

This mad cow crazy reminds me of the lead craze in the United States. I don't really know which is worse. Spongy brain vs poisoning...or both...

Remember all the humbug about banning all unsafe products from China (or ban all Chinese products)? I remember Americans saying "better safe than sorry". What's wrong with Koreans saying that? I did I miss something or is this a double standard? How many people die because of lead in toys each year compared to how many people die because of mad-cow infested beef?

I also suggest Korea banning American veggies too. Salmonella in spinach and tomatos? That has to be the 3-4 time in the last 2 years. I'm starting to think someone goes #2 in the fields and doesn't clean up after themselves.

If the Koreans feel unsafe about the beef. Why are we giving them a hard time? They just want to protect their children. THINK OF THE CHILDREN. (At least that was the reasoning behind all the bans in the United States)

[A B]

@James

That is just not true.

It is like a conversation or communications between a distinguished gentleman from somewhere like Idaho who is commuting to work in Washington with a stopover at MSP airport.

Why, the communications are quite work related and hence, it is lawful to spend over $200,000 in Campaign funds to defend this fellow, who got a something like a traffic ticket for what he did.

There is no truth to your belief that this blog is being turned into Larry Craig's list.

[Young Sung]

Well, please read these two articles from New York Times.

Questions on U.S. Beef Remain
By Donald G. McNeil Jr.

"...The chief one was that the United States was testing only a tiny fraction of the 30 million animals it slaughtered each year....."

"...There were other suspicions about its motives. Many other countries have food safety agencies that are separate from their agriculture departments, which exist primarily to help farmers and increase farm sales. In the United States, however, the Agriculture Department, not the Food and Drug Administration, certifies meat as safe..."

"Overall, fears about the issue began to fade.

However, in February, an animal rights group, the Humane Society of the United States, released videotapes it had taken at animal auctions showing downer cows being shocked, prodded with forklifts and blasted with hoses to force them into standing long enough so they could be certified for slaughter — again raising questions about how rigorously the Agriculture Department enforces food-safety rules."

Full article -> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/11/world/asia/11beef.html?_r=1

Bad Cow Disease
By Paul Krugman

"..Eventually, the department did expand its testing, and at this point most countries that initially banned U.S. beef have allowed it back into their markets. But the South Koreans still don’t trust us. And while some of that distrust may be irrational — the beef issue has become entangled with questions of Korean national pride, which has been insulted by clumsy American diplomacy — it’s hard to blame them.."

"..And in the case of food, what we need to do now — for the sake of both our health and our export markets — is to go back to the way it was after Teddy Roosevelt, when the Socialists took over. It’s time to get back to the business of ensuring that American food is safe."

Full article -> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/opinion/13krugman.html?_r=1&oref=slogin