Monday, June 23, 2008

Where has US beef gone?

The US has renegotiated the beef agreement South Korea's president Lee Myung-bak signed in April whilst in Washington visiting his soul mate Herr Bush, and which has since has caused him untold misery from his own people who having protesting daily for the last 50 days or so, and are calling for his resignation. Bulldozer Lee has apologised twice, but the apologies didn't wash. He reshuffled his ministers but the new team is as out of step as the one it replaced. And so the crisis continues, and the question of credibility remains a burning issue. South Korea has a presidential system of government; to remove Lee from office means impeachment which may not obtain since his party, the Grand National Party, is the majority party, or pressure from within the GNP for him to resign, which is the more likely prospect, owing to Lee style of leadership which has alienated some of his own party. Many Korea hands feel, on the contrary, Lee will muddle through till his 5 years in office are over, and use the example of Herr Bush who is the least popular president in US history; but the analogy is flawed. It is announced that Herr Bush is planning a trip to South Korea if July. Speaking of bad timing, if anyone is unpopular in South Korea, it's Herr Bush, and with an unpopular friend like that, Lee will reap hailstones of protest, and thus push his party to force him out of the Blue House. Which ain't a bad idea!

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