Excellent piece in today’s NYT by Choe Sang-hun on the fallout from Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s decision to lift a five-year ban on imports of American beef. As Choe argues, this was always about far more than food safety, a point that seemed lost on US Ambassador Alexander Vershow, who poured gasoline on the fire by suggesting that fears of beef imports would be alleviated as “Koreans begin to understand more about science.”
This is a small country in a strategic location with a deep sense of grievance about being manipulated by the great powers around it. Chinese emperors demanded tribute from Korea; Japanese occupiers forbade Koreans to speak their own language; American, Chinese and Russian cold war rivalries divided Korea in two. While mostly approving of their alliance with the United States, South Koreans remain acutely sensitive to any suggestion that they must do America’s bidding…
To many South Koreans, however, the beef dispute is not entirely about health concerns or science. It is not entirely about the economy, either — beef from the United States is half the price of homegrown meat. To them, it is also the latest test of whether their leader can resist pressure from superpowers, even if there is good reason for the pressure, as is the case in the beef dispute. South Korea had promised to lift the ban once the World Organization for Animal Health ruled American beef fit for consumption, as it did last September.
South Korea has built the world’s 13th largest economy largely through exports. Nonetheless, historical resentments linger.
South Koreans in their 40s remember words from a popular childhood song handed down from their fathers and grandfathers: “Don’t be cheated by the Soviets. Don’t trust the Americans. Or the Japanese will rise again.” Koreans still chafe at the fact that the United States and the Soviet Union divided Korea after liberating it from Japanese colonial rule at the end of World War II.
Well worth the read.
You are right on all points, but at the same time, Korea at some point must start allowing stuff in from the countries to which it sends its own stuff. Everyone is always complaining about China, but Korea (and India) are the only two major or quasi major countries of which I am aware that does not allow foreign law firms. China does. Even Vietnam does. Korea just talks about it. And until a few years ago (and I am not sure this has completely gone away), you could be pretty much assured of getting your taxes audited if you purchased a foreign car. It goes on and on.
That’s a good observation and you have far more experience in Korea than I do. I have no doubt, among all the other issues, that economics plays a role as well. Thanks for raising the point.
Beef is nothing. If they can force US military base move out South Korea, I will applaud their brave efforts.
Zhuoyi,
Also a good point and certainly the issue of the US military presence is one fraught with implications for Korean nationalism. That said, I’m curious, given the security situation, what is the extent of support for a continuing US military presence. As I’ve said, I’ve only been to Korea a handful of times, and I’d be interested in hearing from those with a better finger on the pulse, so to speak.