As South Koreans protest U.S. beef, Bush drops plans for visit

It all started in April, when the new president of South Korea, Lee Myung-bak, visited President Bush at Camp David. The two countries announced resumption of beef imports -- halted after the December 2003 report of mad cow disease in the United States. At the presidential retreat, Bush nicknamed the visiting South Korean president, who had been in office only four months, "the Bulldozer" and served him Texas Black Angus tenderloin.

"I appreciate your decision to reopen the Korean market to American beef -- consistent with international standards," Bush said at their joint press conference. "This is good news for Korean consumers, and it's good news for American beef producers. As a matter of fact, we had some good American beef last night for dinner."

In Seoul, worried consumers took to the streets in protest, and some demonstrators have been in the streets ever since. Government negotiators added safeguards to the deal. Still, Lee was forced to shake up his Cabinet as the crisis continued. So it surprised no one today when the White House announced that the president will not visit South Korea during his July trip to Japan for the Group of Eight summit.

"We’re actually moving in a good direction on the beef deal," White House press secretary Dana Perino said, noting that Bush will still meet Lee while in Japan and might visit South Korea before his term ends in January. "We will certainly have another opportunity when we head into Asia in August," she said. "But this trip will just be solely for the G8."

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Agence France-Presse