South Korea Update
South Korea Update
Following are three current reports from South Korean media regarding the plan to resume U.S. beef exports to that country: a segment on Korean Broadcast System (KBS) radio, a poll taken by the Chosun Ilbo newspaper regarding street protests, and a CNN-TV video clip of the street protests from last weekend.
Boneless U.S. Beef Shipments Pass Inspection
Monday, June 30, 2008 18:49:02
Korean Broadcast System (KBS)
Quarantine authorities have approved five batches of U.S. beef that contain only boneless meat.
The National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service said it inspected 80 tons of shipments held in storage since last October. The beef inspection was suspended last fall when bone chips were found in a shipment of U.S. imported beef.
The agency says the beef passed quarantine inspections easily as most of inspection procedures were already completed eight months ago.
It's not known when the beef will hit the markets since members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions are guarding the storage houses in order to block distribution. Finding retail outlets in which to distribute the beef may also prove to be a challenge.
Reported by KBS WORLD Radio
Most Koreans Want End to Street Protests: Poll
June 30, 2008
Chosun.com
Some 57.2 percent of Koreans want an end to street protests against U.S. beef imports, a Gallup poll for the Chosun Ilbo suggests. Only 37.9 percent supported the vigils in the telephone poll of 1,013 adult respondents across the country on Saturday.
Some 66.9 percent agreed that that the original purpose of the candlelight vigils against U.S. beef imports has been replaced by others, such as opposition to privatization and reform of public TV networks. Some 28.4 percent said it had not.
Regarding the illegal occupation of roads or violence, 76.3 percent said rallies should be staged within the boundaries of law and order, and some 22 percent agreed that such acts are part of the people's legitimate expression of their views.
However, 53.8 percent felt the police crackdown on protesters was “excessive,” followed by 25.9 percent who said police should continue what they are doing and 15.2 percent who said police had been too lax.
Regarding an additional Korea-U.S. beef agreement banning shipments of beef from cattle older than 30 months, 37.7 percent of respondents were satisfied (9.4 percent very satisfied and 28.3 percent somewhat satisfied) while 59 percent were not (33.7 percent very dissatisfied and 25.3 percent somewhat dissatisfied).
Asked about the scope of a potential Cabinet shake-up, 42.9 percent of respondents called for a large-scale reshuffle, including the prime minister. Some 39.9 percent called for the replacement of only Cabinet members involved with U.S. beef imports, while 13.8 percent said no Cabinet reshuffle is necessary.
This poll had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points and a confidence level of 95 percent. The response rate was 23.6 percent.
South Korea Update
Following are three current reports from South Korean media regarding the plan to resume U.S. beef exports to that country: a segment on Korean Broadcast System (KBS) radio, a poll taken by the Chosun Ilbo newspaper regarding street protests, and a CNN-TV video clip of the street protests from last weekend.
Boneless U.S. Beef Shipments Pass Inspection
Monday, June 30, 2008 18:49:02
Korean Broadcast System (KBS)
Quarantine authorities have approved five batches of U.S. beef that contain only boneless meat.
The National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service said it inspected 80 tons of shipments held in storage since last October. The beef inspection was suspended last fall when bone chips were found in a shipment of U.S. imported beef.
The agency says the beef passed quarantine inspections easily as most of inspection procedures were already completed eight months ago.
It's not known when the beef will hit the markets since members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions are guarding the storage houses in order to block distribution. Finding retail outlets in which to distribute the beef may also prove to be a challenge.
Reported by KBS WORLD Radio
Most Koreans Want End to Street Protests: Poll
June 30, 2008
Chosun.com
Some 57.2 percent of Koreans want an end to street protests against U.S. beef imports, a Gallup poll for the Chosun Ilbo suggests. Only 37.9 percent supported the vigils in the telephone poll of 1,013 adult respondents across the country on Saturday.
Some 66.9 percent agreed that that the original purpose of the candlelight vigils against U.S. beef imports has been replaced by others, such as opposition to privatization and reform of public TV networks. Some 28.4 percent said it had not.
Regarding the illegal occupation of roads or violence, 76.3 percent said rallies should be staged within the boundaries of law and order, and some 22 percent agreed that such acts are part of the people's legitimate expression of their views.
However, 53.8 percent felt the police crackdown on protesters was “excessive,” followed by 25.9 percent who said police should continue what they are doing and 15.2 percent who said police had been too lax.
Regarding an additional Korea-U.S. beef agreement banning shipments of beef from cattle older than 30 months, 37.7 percent of respondents were satisfied (9.4 percent very satisfied and 28.3 percent somewhat satisfied) while 59 percent were not (33.7 percent very dissatisfied and 25.3 percent somewhat dissatisfied).
Asked about the scope of a potential Cabinet shake-up, 42.9 percent of respondents called for a large-scale reshuffle, including the prime minister. Some 39.9 percent called for the replacement of only Cabinet members involved with U.S. beef imports, while 13.8 percent said no Cabinet reshuffle is necessary.
This poll had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points and a confidence level of 95 percent. The response rate was 23.6 percent.