Civic groups protest S. Korean retailers' decision to sell U.S. beef

SUWON, South Korea, Nov. 26 (Yonhap) -- A local civic group rallied Wednesday in front of a major discount outlet, urging the retailer to rethink its decision to sell U.S. beef.

Some 30 people from the People's Association Against Mad Cow Disease gathered at
a Home Plus location in Suwon, a city just south of Seoul, holding signs reading,
"Do not sell dangerous U.S. beef!"
"The U.S. inspection protocol on the mad cow disease is not trustworthy. If major
stores start selling the U.S. beef, South Koreans will be exposed to the
potential danger of the disease," the group said in a statement.
South Korea was the third-largest importer of U.S. beef, after Japan and Mexico,
until a blanket ban was imposed in 2003 following the discovery of a case of mad
cow disease in the U.S. state of Washington.
After rounds of negotiations, Seoul agreed in April to resume U.S. beef imports.
But fears over the brain-wasting illness stirred thousands of South Koreans to
take to the streets daily for months on end throughout the summer, demanding the
deal be renegotiated.
President Lee Myung-bak apologized twice to the public over the issue, and the
import agreement was partially amended to introduce stronger health safeguards.
When imports resumed in June, the demand for U.S. beef surged, although the sales
were limited mostly to smaller butcher shops, fueled by the price competitiveness
compared to homegrown beef.
South Korea's top three discount chains -- E-Mart, Home Plus and Lottemart -- had
been reluctant to stock U.S. beef at their sales counter, worried about public
reaction and their reputation after the large-scale demonstrations.
"We urge the South Korean government to come up with measures to prevent the
disease from breaking out in the country," the protesters said.
After reading their statement, the protesters went inside the store and marched
chanting, "No to U.S. beef."