Korean cabinet offers resignations over U.S. beef import flap

The cabinet of South Korea President Lee Myung-bak offered its resignations Tuesday in the wake of nationwide protests over U.S. beef imports.

In April, behind the urging of Lee, South Korea began accepting imports of U.S. beef after previous scares of mad cow disease. The agreement allowed for export of any type of U.S. beef.

But public outcry has been fierce, as according to news outlets, South Korean mistrust of government officials runs deep on the topic.

In an effort to appease the public, South Korean trade officials urged U.S. exporters like Tyson and Cargill to use younger cattle for their shipments to the East Asian nation. Younger cattle are considered to carry far less risk of attaining the disease. That, apparently, hasn't worked. Thousands rallied in Seoul Tuesday to protest the agreement.

Opening of the beef market to U.S. exporters is considered a key facet of improved U.S.-South Korea trade relations. A free trade agreement between the two nations has been signed, but is languishing in Congress. 

Source: American Shipper