July 3, 2008
South Koreans who want a taste of US beef may soon have to sneak into back alleys to satisfy their culinary taste buds.
Even as US beef returned to South Korea last month, street protests have prevented major chains in Seoul from selling it.
This has instead spawned sales of the beef in little enclaves hidden in the back alleys. In little-known, small-scale butcher shops such as A-Meat, business is booming.
A-Meat owner Park Chang Kyu told South Korean media it is the responsibility of importers to provide for customers looking for US beef when there is demand for it.
The store sold out its initial supply of about 400 kilogrammes of beef when it first went on sale on Tuesday, Park said.
Park said he has received some threats but lots of inquiries since putting US beef in his showcase.
South Korea has seen demonstrators protesting against US beef since early May.
About 5,300 tonnenes of US meat has been in frozen storage in South Korea since October 2007 when the country suspended imports for the first time since mad cow disease was discovered in the US in 2003.
More than 600 tonnes of that meat has cleared inspection under new rules that went into effect last week.