06/26/08 South Korea protests

First we have a beef trade agreement with South Korea then we don't, then we do, then we don't and so it goes. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be back in one minute with some comments. The U.S. just can't seem to get beef into South Korea. First, negotiations could not be worked out between the U.S. and South Korean governments. Just as those trade talks were finalized, South Korean citizens threw a colt fit and started protest after protest to stop importation of U.S. beef. These protesters claim to be afraid of U.S. beef possibly being infected with BSE. If that's the case they should notice American consumers have not suffered an epidemic caused by BSE in U.S. beef and to the credit of our educated beef-eating public they have kept consuming beef products since the first BSE case was confirmed. U.S. beef consumers have faith in our inspection procedures that if there is a BSE infected animal it will be kept out of retail marketing channels. We know South Koreans like our beef. That nation was one of the larger importers of U.S. beef before BSE raised its ugly head in 2003 with the confirmation of an infected dairy cow that was imported into our country. Maybe the South Korean protests are more about protecting their own beef industry and not about a BSE worry. But that probably isn't the case, the United States seems to be the only country accused of protectionism. I'm Jeff Keane.