Trade minister recounts beef talks with US
Chosun Ilbo | 23 June 2008
Trade Minister Recounts Beef Talks with U.S.
"Now the U.S. is in an uproar. It seems that U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab (chief of the U.S. delegation to the additional Korea-U.S. beef talks) is now under fire (in the U.S.)"
Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon made these remarks in an interview with the Chosun Ilbo on Saturday, upon returning home from the additional beef talks in Washington, which he described as resulting in Korea’s favor.
- How did you persuade the U.S.?
"I brought a photograph of the June 10 candlelight vigil in downtown Seoul, with the largest number of protesters. I sat down, putting that photograph in the middle of the table. Whenever the negotiations went against us or whenever the U.S. side cited ’science’ (to emphasize that U.S. beef is scientifically safe), we pointed to the photo and said, ’Look at this. Do you think this can be explained with science?’ We could see the U.S. delegates try to understand us."
- When was the most difficult moment of the talks?
"It was on the third day (June 15, when Kim traveled to New York after threatening to suspend the talks and return home). It wasn’t easy to persuade the U.S. on the issues of strengthening our government’s quarantine authority, banning imports of brain, eyes, spinal cord and skulls from younger cattle, and adding the agreed matters to our government’s sanitary conditions for U.S. beef imports."
- We understand that you resorted to "brinkmanship" twice.
"The media reported the first instance (the day-three episode). The second instance was on June 19, the last day of the talks. Both Ambassador Schwab and I were upset, so I suggested, ’Let’s put off this discussion until a new round of talks and stop the current talks here.’"
- What was the reaction from the U.S. side?
"The U.S. delegates looked frustrated. They said, ’We can’t sell beef unless you promulgate new sanitary conditions for U.S. beef imports. The U.S. is in an uproar. Ambassador Schwab is under heavy fire. We’ve given you too many concessions.’"
- How do you evaluate the outcome of the talks?
"I won’t comment on that. Any evaluation will be made by the people."
