title: The 2008 US beef scare episode in South Korea: analysis of an unusual public reaction.
abstract: We investigated major factors underlying an unusual 2008 public 'candlelight protest' in South Korea about US beef imports related to concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Using a survey we explored determinants of consumer responses to negative publicity in mass media. Respondents (80.7 per cent) reduced consumption of imported beef during the scare; of those 62.5 per cent decreased consumption of US beef only. We explain the determinants in order of their importance and define the relevant terms from a theory of consumer behavior in economics. Our findings suggest that several effects worked jointly in their influence on most respondents who reduced beef consumption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, College of Business & Economics, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-Ro, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, 156-756, Republic of South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D016643:Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D059022:Food Safety; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult