South Korea Free Trade Agreement / Who is the winner here?

[DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP]

It's pretty obvious you haven't done your research.  US beef is considered some of the best in the world, behind Japan and Argentina.  Australian might be better but it really comes down to personal taste.  Personally I think Australian beef sucks but others may disagree.  One thing that can't be argued and where you sound ignorant, is that US beef is some of the safest and highest quality on the plane

Perhaps grade A beef in the sates.  But not the crap they send here, it's bland, stringy, tough and literally almost tasteless.  Same for the ozzie beef you get here.

[Davox]

I think many people in this thread have never eaten actual good beef before.  There is a huge difference between good beef and regular  (that you find in 95% of stores everywhere) beef.  In EVERY country.  I mean, I'll happily eat either, especially because the normal store bought stuff is way cheaper, but there's no comparison.  They're so different in taste, texture and everything else that they might as well be a completely different species, really.  US beef just straight up among the best in the world?  There are, I've heard, quite a few individual farms in the US that produce beef of that quality, but you're not going to find that stuff in any store here.  They're going to send the regular crap here, just like Australia sends their regular store crap and not their good stuff too.  And while Korea produces some crap too, ultimately they can't compete on price with Australia and now the US for the generic tasting stuff, and they know it.  So a lot (not all, but a lot) are spending their effort on producing much higher quality stuff that they can then sell to a different audience, for 4x the price.  So if you want actual good beef here, chances are you're getting Hanwoo from a reputable farmer, because no one bothers to import the really good stuff from other countries.

[DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP]

I think many people in this thread have never eaten actual good beef before.  There is a huge difference between good beef and regular  (that you find in 95% of stores everywhere) beef.  In EVERY country.  I mean, I'll happily eat either, especially because the normal store bought stuff is way cheaper, but there's no comparison.  They're so different in taste, texture and everything else that they might as well be a completely different species, really.  US beef just straight up among the best in the world?  There are, I've heard, quite a few individual farms in the US that produce beef of that quality, but you're not going to find that stuff in any store here.  They're going to send the regular crap here, just like Australia sends their regular store crap and not their good stuff too.  And while Korea produces some crap too, ultimately they can't compete on price with Australia and now the US for the generic tasting stuff, and they know it.  So a lot (not all, but a lot) are spending their effort on producing much higher quality stuff that they can then sell to a different audience, for 4x the price.  So if you want actual good beef here, chances are you're getting Hanwoo from a reputable farmer, because no one bothers to import the really good stuff from other countries.

Finally, someone esle who knows what they're talking about.

[Munwon]

Back on topic. We are all winners in free trade agreements. Never heard of 2 countries with trade agreements attack and bomb each other. All in All it makes for a more peaceful and prosperous world.

[RichieDayan]

I'm not too sure who it benefit, but it's stirring up quite a bit of anger. THid guy is interesting:

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/18/world/la-fg-korea-weasel-20111119

Apparently his podcasts (many of which are critical of the FTA) are becoming quickly popular amongst South Koreans.

[Damien]

I agree with the it's a win/loss agreement. It will help Korea in some fields and screw them in others. Now to address the trolls crapping under my bridge. . .

Why does every thread involving anything to do with America get trolled with people bashing everything about America? Half the time they are from people that have never lived or have even been to America. I love hearing all the bull about American cars being trash and all the food is trash. Yes, there are crappy cars and cheap food. That is EVERYWHERE in the world. If you say that it doesn't happen in other countries, you're an idiot. The average life-span of my family is 85, I guess the food isn't that bad. I bought a used GM car from the 1980's in 2000 and drove it for 5 years. I still have my first car with less than $1,000 in parts, not including general maintenance, from 1999 with 300,000+ miles. How about you stop trolling and start adding to the thread, because half of the posts have little to do with the topic.

[DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP]

I agree with the it's a win/loss agreement. It will help Korea in some fields and screw them in others. Now to address the trolls crapping under my bridge. . .

Why does every thread involving anything to do with America get trolled with people bashing everything about America? Half the time they are from people that have never lived or have even been to America. I love hearing all the bull about American cars being trash and all the food is trash. Yes, there are crappy cars and cheap food. That is EVERYWHERE in the world. If you say that it doesn't happen in other countries, you're an idiot. The average life-span of my family is 85, I guess the food isn't that bad. I bought a used GM car from the 1980's in 2000 and drove it for 5 years. I still have my first car with less than $1,000 in parts, not including general maintenance, from 1999 with 300,000+ miles. How about you stop trolling and start adding to the thread, because half of the posts have little to do with the topic.

Relax, were just saying that the steak hat gets shipped here is godawful (it just is) not that we hate you.  Stop being so sensitive poor boy.

And yeah, I'e also had lots of unmarinated hanwoo and a 19k hanwoo from the local supah had been as good as steaks I've had at top end restaurants in both the Uk and US for 3 times as much money (obviously one has tofigure in overheads etc when taking restauran prices into consderations, but still, Hanwoo is damned good and not like I'm exactly famous for being an apologist on waygook.)

[Davox]

Back on topic. We are all winners in free trade agreements. Never heard of 2 countries with trade agreements attack and bomb each other. All in All it makes for a more peaceful and prosperous world.

Nazi Germany and Soviet Union.  Wars DO happen, and trade does not prevent it.

That being said, free trade between two countries that both have solid infrastructure/educated workforce/competent governance/comparable standard of living (and by and large the US and ROK have this) generally does help both countries.  Just not, like others have said, every industry in both countries.  There are winners and losers in every agreement, the winners are generally consumers in both countries, and for the losers, well, you just have to look at individual industries to see them.