Condoleezza Rice is in South Korea now, and it turns out her main task is to try to convince Koreans that American beef is safe. In light of how clueless Americans are about food safety, it’s amazing how seriously the South Korean population takes the matter. From the AP article:
For many South Koreans, who have lived with threats from their neighbor for five decades, the nuclear issue is of less concern than is Seoul’s agreement to lift a ban on American beef imports in April as a way to restore strained ties with Washington.
Activists have staged daily rallies on the streets of the capital to voice fears about possible health risks such as mad cow disease. As officials began inspecting U.S. beef on Friday before it can reach markets, hundreds of labor activists blocked customs storage facilities.
Meanwhile, Condi’s telling the Koreans, “”I want to assure everyone that American beef is safe.” The cattlemen must be delighted to have someone as credible as Condi Rice on their side. Link.
