Seoul to resume importing American beef in June,
facing strong resistance
It is likely that the Korean government will resume imports of American beef. It finally concluded that the U.S. cow suspected of infection with mad cow disease last March in Alabama is at least over eight years old.
The Agriculture Ministry yesterday announced that in the wake of an inspection conducted by Korean inspectors on the spot in Alabama, the suspected mad cow was be examined and found to be over eight years old. A source from the ministry said, “Several inspectors and veterinary professors took spot investigations in Alabama, and upon their return, through several meetings, it was clarified that the cow was born before March, 1998.”
The ministry will take steps to resume imports of American beef, which were disputed across the nation because of the age of the cow. As the final conclusion is set, the government will resume its inspection in the US for import procedures. In a January agreement to lift the ban on American beef, the Korean government and the US agreed to halt imports if beef cattle born after April 1998 and in the event a victim of mad cow disease was born after April 1998, the beef imports could be suspended.
As Seoul determined to resume imports of American beef, the Korean Agricultural Association and Korean livestock farmers, during a statement on March 26, stepped up their campaign to instill public distrust in imported U.S. beef, saying, “It isn’t convincing why they try to import beef that isn’t proven to be safe.” The association stated, “We strongly condemn Seoul’s unconvincing attitude to resume beef imports and believe lifting the beef ban is a precondition to hastening Korean-US FTA negotiations.”
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 / 입력시간: 2006. 04.28. 10:59
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