By If anyone is wondering why Korea’s rice farmers are so against the US-ROK Free Trade Agreement, here is your answer:
The National Assembly is to launch an independent probe into a snowballing corruption scandal involving ranking government officials and lawmakers who allegedly pocketed hundreds of millions of dollars worth of state farming subsidies, officials said Monday.
The ongoing case, which made headlines after the vice health minister was found last week to have applied for the money by falsely claiming that she farmed rice, has been dealing blows to both the former and the incumbent governments, with thousands of public servants believed to have been involved since the rice subsidy system was established in 2005. [Yonhap]
The Vice Health Minister Lee Bong-hwa was forced to resign when it was uncovered that she applied for a rice subsidy this month even though she does not farm any rice. This scam has been uncovered to be going on across Korea. This scam also has no political boundaries because the Roh Moo-hyun administration are the ones that created the subsidy and began the abuse of the system:
Three incumbent GNP lawmakers _ Kim Sung-hoi, Kim Hak-yong and Lim Dong-kyu _ and Rep. Kwon Sun-taik, floor leader of the minor opposition Liberty Forward Party, admitted to having received the subsidies. Also under suspicion are tens of senior incumbent officials of the Lee administration and 170,000 civil servants, public company workers and their family members.
The scandal took a twist last week when GNP lawmakers alleged former President Roh was aware of the abuse of the subsidy system in June last year, but instructed officials to keep it secret from the public to prevent a public backlash ahead of the presidential election in December. [Korea Times]
If people reading this think this is a disgrace, guess what the same thing is going on in America right now with our own $300 billion worth of farming subsidies. I recommend everyone watch 20/20′s report on “The Politics of Farming in Nebraska” where John Stossel speaks to people who receive up to $26,000 in farming subsidies even though they don’t even farm. They get away with this because the land where their home is located is considered farm land. It gets better, the person that receives the most federal subsidies in America is worth half a billion dollars and yet keeps on receiving the subsidies.
At least in Korea people are outraged by the subsidy scandal where in the US it is considered business as usual. If you are wondering who are the champions of these outrageous subsidies are, then watch the report.
9:29 am on October 20th, 2008 1
Our farm subsidy policy is sick and twisted. Not only do we throw money at wealthy people who aren't really farmers, we fund the obesity epidemic by paying agribusinesses that blight the midwest with endless fields of corn, wheat, and soybeans, most of which is used either as livestock feed or as ingredients in processed foods. Real farmers who grow real food like carrots, spinach, broccoli, and apples get little if any government money. That's why "valued-added" junk food is cheaper than minimally processed produce.
BTW, the gubment just recently modified the WIC program to permit small purchases of up to $6 of produce. Eligible foodstuffs had been limited to unhealthy processed foodstuffs like milk, bread, and cheese.
Sadly, I just don't see the willpower in Congress to end these outrageous agricultural subsidies that enrich not only agribusinesses but also cardiologists, oncologists, and weight loss clinics.
11:49 am on October 20th, 2008 2
Did Minister Lee also apply for a subsidy for that beaver on her head?
12:40 pm on October 20th, 2008 3
You gotta admire the Chinese in their prosecution of corrupt individuals (at least of what we hear)…roughly 20 minutes after they are found guilty they are taken to the designated place and executed with one round to the head…and the family has to pay for the bullet.
Might not be entirely true, but it is what needs to happen to the corrupt in any society…at the minimum they and their family should lose everything and spend the rest of their lives paying what they still owed back.
1:51 pm on October 20th, 2008 4
"it is what needs to happen to the corrupt in any society"
Be careful what you wish for, Calmseas. Who would be left to run USFK?
2:31 pm on October 20th, 2008 5
I'm sure we could find a couple of young Hard Charging NCOs to fill the slots…
3:43 pm on October 20th, 2008 6
CS, the only ones getting that swift justice in China are the ones who haven't payed off the Party Officials, and a few who had nothing to do with the events but are political oponents. Just look at the Milk affair, thens of thousands poisoned, hundreds dead or damaged for life, 18-25 companies involved and they round up less than 50 people…hmmmm.
5:17 pm on October 20th, 2008 7
Probably true, but still there needs to be a strong reprisal for corruption…it is bringing down countries.
2:02 pm on October 21st, 2008 8
I completely agree with Sonagi. The US would be a lot better off either eliminating the farm subsidy system completely or else drastically limiting it to apply only to small farmers who could actually use the help.
10:55 pm on October 21st, 2008 9
Sonagi's point about the rising food prices due to the subsidies was something else John Stossel mentioned as well. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend the 20/20 clip and this is an issue each side of the aisle is guilty on.