Agriculture minister expresses opposition to US bone-in beef imports
The Hankyoreh, Seoul
Agriculture minister expresses opposition to U.S. bone-in beef imports
South Korea’s agriculture minister on Friday expressed opposition to allowing the import of bone-in U.S. beef.
16 March 2007
Yonhap News, Changyeong. In talks with a farmers’ group in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, Park Hong-soo said beef must not be sacrificed for the sake of a possible free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
"Even if Seoul has to make (other) concessions, it must not give ground on the beef issue," the official said.
South Korea, which had banned American beef in late 2003 after a mad cow case was reported in the country, agreed last year to import only de-boned beef from cattle less than 30 months old into the country. Because bone chips were discovered in three shipments that were imported since late October, no U.S. beef has reached consumers.
Seoul maintains that because there is no way to distinguish between "normal" bones and those that may have come from specified risk materials (SRMs), it cannot allow bone-in beef like ribs into the country. SRMs pose the greatest risk of transmitting mad cow disease to humans and include such parts as head bones, brains, vertebral columns, spinal cords, dorsal root ganglions and certain internal organs. "Like people or society, a country must hold steadfast to principles," he claimed, adding that while Washington was representing the interest of its cattle ranchers, Seoul must preserve the health of its people.
Park then said that while FTA negotiations have progressed after eight rounds of talks, he did not think the government has taken any steps that would jeopardize the health of its people.
The remarks come as the two sides plan to hold a second high-level meeting in Seoul next week to discuss unresolved agricultural issues in the ongoing FTA talks. Agricultural products, along with autos and textiles are the main sticking points in the discussions that both sides want to conclude by March 30.
Earlier in the week, Assistant Agriculture Minister Min Dong-seok, who will head the South Korean delegation in the three-day negotiations that kick off Monday, said that South Korea has hinted that it could adjust the current 40 percent tariff on beef imports. Such a move could give a clear boost to sales of U.S. beef.
Min said Seoul is willing to discuss the safety of the bone-in beef issue through a new round negotiations after May. Min’s stance conflicts with Washington’s stance on dealing with the issue before a FTA deal is reached within the month.
