Despite of Korean government's efforts to make a deal with the U.S. for the beef trade, marketing in many businesses in Korea has changed dramatically to show how safe their foods are and free from the the problem concerned with the U.S. imported beef - the Mad Cow disease.
Food industries in Korea including both major and minor restaurants are promoting "no U.S. beef" policy in order to assure their customers that they are providing safe food that the customers do not have to worry a single thing about consuming the food at their stores.
The reason why these food manufacturers are simply they do not want to take a chane when the public is clearly against consuming the U.S. imported beef; "...it's important to win over consumer trust from the start" (BusinessWeek).
The beef that are used in most of the food chains are from Australia, and food manufacturers are guaranteering they will only use the Australian beef. For example, the Korea-based fast-food chain Lotteria, which has more than 740 outlets nationwide, issued a statement that they have "no plans to use U.S. beef even in the distant future." Also the most well-known burger maker in the world, McDonald's, has been stressing out its corporate policy that is against of making patties with beef from America.
All the other family restaurants including Outback Steakhouse, VIPS, Sizzler, T.G.I. Fridays and Bennigan's are also emphasizing their plans not to use beef from America and making sure that they will not do so in the future as well. However, there decisions are not helping the local beef importing companies since the public perception has critically ruined the business already; even though they don't import American beef, just doing the business with other countries is interrupting its brand image.
As we have seen on the media and from many other sources, the problem concerning beef imports from the U.S. is getting deeper and deeper everyday. It seems like the flame of the candle-demonstration is becoming a new way of expressing our thoughts and beliefs. I hope the president Lee would regard and hear from the public what we are trying to say and have reconsider the deal with the U.S.
Reference;
Han, Jane. "US Beef Boycott in Making" KoreaTimes. June 13, 2008.
20601008 - 14th Entry
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