South Korean beef circus continues

A deal is a deal to most people and nations. The U.S. and South Korea signed a comprehensive trade pact less than a month ago, which includes the full resumption of U.S. beef exports to South Korea.

The anti-government leftist opposition in South Korea, egged on by vegetarians and animal rightists in the U.S., are demonstrating in the streets, suing in the courts and threatening politicians with their careers, if U.S. beef is allowed in the country.

The South Korean premier still swears the deal is on, and that the beef trade will resume in June. But he continues to play a cat and mouse game, trying to placate the U.S. and the South Korean opposition at the same time. Only God really knows what the actuall situation is with the trade pact with South Korea.

The premier is his own worst enemy, saying soothing things to the South Koreans to play down the whole controversy, when what he really needs to do is bang the podium and tell them the unvarnished truth.

Here is what he needs to say: "Our own South Korea beef herd is hopelessly corrupted with BSE. We have had nearly 30 cases, while the U.S. has had only two, both out of cattle imported from Canada. For the peace of mind and good health of our people, we need wholesome, safe U.S. beef to upgrade the quality and safety of what we feed our people. That's why I'm proceeding immediately with importing U.S. beef."

The leftists in South Korea are obviously coordinating their smear campaign against U.S. beef with the leftists in the U.S., as today Barack Obama came out and urged President Bush not to send any South Korean trade pact to the U.S. Senate for ratification. (As if he ever shows up to take part in Senate debate or vote on any legislation anyway. Of the 100 Senators, what right does he, of all people, have to say anything about it?)

South Korea has double dealt on the beef issue from the get-go. Numerous shipments of U.S. beef, after agreeing to receive them, have been returned for trivial paperwork errors or alleged "bone fragments" that U.S. inspectors could not find after they were returned. Straight forward, truthful, honest integrity on the part of South Korea is needed to unravel this circus.