July 28, 2008

Korean beef consumption remains low

Anti US-beef sentiment still exists in Korea, as Korean importers are down by 50 percent compared to last year, said Korean newspaper Dong-A.

Although retail sales of beef have increased slightly, suppliers have reported that retailers are unwilling to pay reasonable prices.

The newspaper also reported that out of 5,300 tonnes of US beef shipped to Korea, 4,236 tonnes of them have passed quarantine inspections, and further shipments depend on consumer demand.

The discovery of the mad-cow disease in an American cow in 2003 resulted in Korean phobia towards US beef, and prompted a ban on US beef imports, which was lifted last August despite numerous public protests.