Seoul asks Washington not to ship beef from older cattle
Yonhap | 3 June 2008
Seoul asks Washington not to ship beef from older cattle
SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) — South Korea said Monday that it has asked the United States not to export beef from cattle over 30 months old, a move aimed at allaying mounting public concern over mad cow disease.
Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-chun said at a press conference that until the two nations reach an agreement on the age limit of cattle when they are slaughtered for meat to be exported to South Korea, Seoul will not implement its revised sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards.
The move effectively allows South Korea to keep its import ban on U.S. beef that has been in place since early October.
"Because the public is most concerned about meat from cattle over 30 months old, we have asked the United States not to export that kind," he said.
The 30-month age limit is important because most cattle that have contracted mad cow disease were older animals. Consumption of tainted meat has been responsible for more than 200 deaths so far worldwide.
The policymaker added that there will be no quarantine inspections of U.S. beef and that the 5,300 tons of beef currently held in cold storage facilities in South Korea will not be released.
"The latest decision is based on a desire to maintain good ties and trust (with the U.S.) while at the same time reflecting the national interest and wishes of the people," Chung said.
Under the revised SPS pact, the U.S. can export most beef parts to Korea, including meat from animals over 30 months old. In the past, the U.S. was only allowed to ship boneless beef from cattle under that age.
The announcement by the minister was made a day after he requested the postponement of the posting of the SPS pact on the government gazette.
Other trade experts in the government, meanwhile, said Seoul is seeking a voluntary export restriction (VER) to limit the import of beef from animals over 30 months old.
A VER in a form of trade barrier that is reached between trading partners to reduce trade friction. The U.S. has asked for voluntary export restrictions in cars from Japan and steel products from South Korea.
"As part of the voluntary restrictions, U.S. exporters can agree not to export meat from animals older than 30 months old, with South Korean importers following suit," the source, who declined to be identified, said.
"Such a step can take time, but since no beef imports will take place, it should not run into domestic obstacles," he said.
"The recent action by five major meat processors not to export beef from older cattle is a step in the right direction," he said, adding that because 95 percent of U.S. beef is from animals under 30 months old, it should not be too difficult for meat processors to respect this guideline.
The insider then said that while such pacts are not actually backed by the government, Seoul can move to call for more stringent identification on the age of cattle to prevent such shipments from reaching South Korea.
