Korea’s Beef Standoff Continues

There were more street protests in Seoul on Sunday over U.S. beef. The public is scared out of their minds that they’ll get mad cow disease. The domestic beef industry doesn’t like having to face competition. President Lee Myung-bak’s approval rating is lower than President Bush’s. The pending U.S.-Korea free trade agreement is under fire.

Will it pass? The Wall Street Journal Asia, in a standout editorial today, thinks so. The beef outcry is a temporary phenomenon, they believe.

“It’s worth noting that the opposition party hasn’t gained any ground at Mr. Lee’s expense, a sign that the public protests may mask broader support for the free-trade agreement.”

Let’s hope they’re right.