Deep Disappointment For US Over Korean Trade
US - The United States on Friday expressed deep disappointment at failed negotiations on reopening South Korea's beef market, accusing the Asian nation, which used to be one of the largest importers of American beef, of reneging on its promise.
15 October 2007
2 minute read
"I want to express our deep disappointment in the limited progress that has been made to date in these technical discussions and lack of willingness on the part of South Korea to move to OIE standards, which they had said they were going to do," Chuck Conner, acting secretary of agriculture, told Yonhap.
OIE refers to the World Organization for Animal Health, which in May declared U.S. beef safeguards sufficient to prevent the spread of mad cow disease.
A joint team from the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of Agriculture will head out to South Korea and several other countries in the coming weeks to press them to follow international standards on beef trade, Conner said.
The reaction came after bilateral talks in Seoul failed at an agreement on South Korea's import rules for American meat products. The U.S. demanded that all restrictions be lifted, while South Korea insisted certain limits must be retained because of lingering health concerns.
South Korea had banned all U.S. beef imports in December 2003 after discovery of mad cow disease at an American cattle farm. It partially reopened its market in January 2006, agreeing only to buy boneless products from cattle under 30 months old to minimize health hazards.
The Asian trading partner has been one of the largest buyers of U.S. beef before the ban, averaging US$850 million a year.
Source: Yahoo!7 Finance
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