This is an issue that has apparently been a major news item - and even Col. Ann Wright brought it up with me - but I decided not to follow. Until now.
South Korea was once a major consumer of American beef, but that changed in 2003, when mad cow disease was detected in American beef, and South Korea's leftist Roh Moo-Hyun government banned most imports. A few months ago, the new rightist Lee Myung-Bak government removed the restrictions, in order to facilitate and comply with the upcoming secret free trade agreement between the two nations; many in South Korea were very upset, considering Lee's decision to be too hasty and not in their best interest. Protests on the streets of Seoul have been growing by the week, with many arrests.
Now, it seems to have taken a toll on Lee and his "pro-American" (more precisely, pro-Republican) Grand Nationals, as last week's local polls went heavily in favor of the leftist opponents, just a few months after the Grand Nationals' landslide in the presidential and legislative elections. And the entire cabinet is offering to resign at this time.
BBC
It's a slim picking of hope to see some sense return to the South Korean voters, after the corporate/theocratic media, run by the likes of Samsung and the Unification Church, had successfully told the voters to blame the leftists for the economic doldrums that had been created by the Grand Nationals' policies.
However, the fact remains that the Korean-American special interest community remains stubbornly supportive of Lee, and opposed to the demonstrators' message. And while Reverend Moon's religious teachings don't ring a vibe, his politics garners strong support. Here in California, the Korean-Americans are running two Republican candidates, one for Congress (against Democratic incumbent Adam Schiff in Pasadena) and one for the State Legislature, and lending strong support to the constitutional ban on gay marriage. I will fight tooth and nail to make sure that this reactionary excuse of a special interest community will NOT get its say in dictating the way of life for the rest of California.
