▁the ▁US - K ore a ▁free ▁trade ▁agreement . ▁Crit ics ▁acc use ▁the ▁move ▁as ▁an ▁attempt ▁by ▁the ▁Korean ▁government ▁to ▁please ▁the ▁US ▁government . ▁ ▁Local ▁media ▁also ▁critic ized ▁the ▁government ’ s ▁attempt . ▁An ▁example ▁of ▁this ▁is ▁the ▁Mun h wa ▁Broadcast ing ▁Corporation ▁( M BC ) ▁P D ▁Not ebook ▁program ▁" Is ▁American ▁Be ef ▁Re ally ▁Sa fe ▁from ▁Mad ▁Cow ▁D ise ase ?" ▁tele vised ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁Lee ▁My ung - b ak ' s ▁popular ity ▁pl um met ed ▁after ▁the ▁decision ▁and ▁protest s . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁South ▁Korea ▁was ▁once ▁the ▁third - larg est ▁im porter ▁of ▁US ▁be ef . ▁This ▁changed ▁when ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁mad - cow ▁disease , ▁specifically ▁the ▁pr ion ▁responsible ▁for ▁b ov ine ▁sp ong iform ▁en ce phal op ath y ▁( B SE ), ▁was ▁detected ▁in ▁US ▁be ef . ▁Im ports ▁were ▁then ▁halt ed . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁then ▁new ▁Lee ▁My ung - b ak ▁government ▁agreed , ▁after ▁extensive ▁negoti ations , ▁to ▁restart ▁imports . ▁ ▁That ▁decision ▁set ▁off ▁a ▁fir est orm ▁of ▁controvers y , ▁leading ▁hundreds ▁of ▁thousands ▁of ▁citizens ▁to ▁come ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁and ▁early ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁in ▁protest ▁over ▁the ▁res umed ▁imports ▁and