It must be frustrating apologizing for doing something that is in the national interest of the country:
President Lee Myung-bak has apologized to the nation for the controversy over U.S. beef imports.
In a nationally televised statement on Thursday, the president said he feels sorry and humbly accepts criticism that his administration did not fully address public concerns about mad cow disease.
Lee admitted the government’s efforts to listen to and understand the public were insufficient as it sought to resume U.S. beef imports. He blamed himself for any policy confusion.
He went on to say he was frustrated when what he said were groundless fears of mad cow disease spread throughout society. He added it was heartbreaking to see young students join candlelight rallies to protest the U.S. beef import deal.
Stressing that public health cannot be traded for anything, he said the government stipulated Korea’s sovereign right to halt U.S. beef imports in the event of a health-threatening situation. He added that the nation’s overall food safety standards would be upgraded to the level of advanced countries.
The president urged the National Assembly to ratify the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, saying it would help create 300-thousand jobs and revitalize the Korean economy. [KBS Global]
It has to be additionally frustrating when the controversy you are apologizing over was caused by yellow journalism:
The MBC news program “PD Diary”, which broadcast the report on mad cow disease showing a staggering cow being dragged into a slaughterhouse and an American woman in her 20s said to have died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease — the human form of the bovine disease — has been ordered by the Press Arbitration Commission to air a statement saying the two key points made by the program are untrue. The report spread fear among the Korean public that consuming American beef causes CJD and triggered nationwide protests against imports of U.S. beef. The commission said it is no evidence of mad cow disease if cattle stagger, while the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the interim finding that the woman did not die from CJD.
“PD Diary”, which aired on April 29, consolidated the belief among Koreans both young and old that U.S. beef equals mad cow disease by showing horrific images and featuring shocking incidents for 10 straight minutes. The images broadcast by the program were fresh in the minds of people across the country who came out into the streets to take part in candlelight vigils. Now it turns out that the main points made by “PD Diary” were false. [Chosun Ilbo via TMH]
President Lee has said that next week US beef imports will continue so expect some serious comedy from the usual suspects next week that should as always provide for some great blogging material.
Popularity: 3%
2:15 pm on May 23rd, 2008 1
The best part of this whole ridiculus protest is that Korean beef isn’t as safe as American.
I can’t wait to see what the next anti-American trend will be! I hope it’s fat people!
4:51 pm on May 23rd, 2008 2
Because of the last couple of months, anybody that had any hope that Lee was going to be a huge improvement over past administrations should be rethinking the issue. He might be conservative in policy, but he’s just as much a limp d!Ck as the previous liberal governments.
8:31 pm on May 23rd, 2008 3
Lee’s apology might have been smart politics in Korea, but he (again) legitimized the Cows Gone Wild!! Hysteria despite the irrational lies it is built on.
6:22 am on May 24th, 2008 4
Good thing that the media in the U.S. is not covering the events in Korea. It might just throw off the whole “Korea Sparkling” thing if people find out how bat$hit crazy people can be over there.
8:56 am on May 24th, 2008 5
I know a few international Korean students in America. I ate out with them a few times, and not one of them showed even a milisecond of hesitance in eating American beef. Granted this was a little before the current hysteria, but I have a feeling this is more about following trends.
10:37 am on May 24th, 2008 6
Problem is American cow do not well taken care of thus you have mad cow. Korean cow is specially raised to meet diet of the Korean man. America cow has problem that effect Korean people. I know friend in America that died eating bad American cow
Do not force us to import bad cow. We only eat Korean cow
2:35 pm on May 24th, 2008 7
The continued mass consumption of Austrailian beef as well as Korean grown poultry in the face of AI shows that the mad cow stand is utter and complete bullshit.
(no pun intended)
Smooth political move by LMB to take one in the ass in order to get the beef coming in anyway. So the beef will come and Koreans will buy the shit out of it despite a few dumpings of cow shit at various E-marts around the country. Life goes on. Wheeeeee.
3:16 pm on May 24th, 2008 8
I don’t care if U.S. beef gets through to Korea, I’m sticking with Australian. Why? It’s leaner, healthier, and oh so tasty. American beef is 30% fat and it gets stringy because their cows don’t exercise as much, just like American people.
3:38 pm on May 24th, 2008 9
Nice jab there at the end, Roman.
3:44 pm on May 24th, 2008 10
That was one of my first thoughts when returning to the US after about 4 years away: “Damn!! We’re fat…”
11:45 pm on May 24th, 2008 11
I don’t want to call him a limp d1ck, yet. Maybe usinkorea is right and this is just smart politics. There is probably more to this than meets the eye.
I just wonder why he didn’t take a more aggressive stand. Why not have a spokesman, say something like, “I’m sorry you people are so misinformed and that is why he replaced MBC’s broadcasting chairman. In addition, we will address the beef in school issue immediately. The Blue House will push for legislation that will ensure the beef eaten in our schools ONLY come from Korea. The cost be will passed on to our taxpayers OR the KTU and KTA, a vote in congress will decide. Your voice has been heard and you wish has been granted.”
9:25 pm on May 26th, 2008 12
ROK Accountability…
Aside from the criminally atrocious job ROK president Lee Myung-bak did preparing the South Korean public for the the sale of US beef, Daniel Altman chews the beef pretty thoroughly.
Not only has reason apparently gone out the barn window, but this deb…
11:56 pm on May 26th, 2008 13
“…He added that the nation’s overall food safety standards would be upgraded to the level of advanced countries.”
Harrr Harrr Harrr Harrr
I’d like to see this one.
12:14 pm on May 30th, 2008 14
Yes, Korean beef is so well taken care of. So well taken care of that I witnessed 2 cows in 1 day on 2 different cow farms with herniated rectums…Basically their insides became their outsides via the exit route of the anus.
I drove back hours later and the cow was still in the same spot at the first farm. The second farm I went to the cow had actually died, I got out of the car and confirmed it by walking up and pretty much poking it with a stick. The cows all had mange because they were in poor sanitary conditions even for animals.
I bet the farmer butchered the cow hours later even after it was unsafe to use the meat and then sold it on the market~
Just my 2 cents.