South Korea said Tuesday that it was holding off imports of U.S. beef until an additional agreement is struck with the United States to ban beef from cattle older than 30 months, a key demand by critics.
In the face of growing public discontent, the South Korean government also agreed to seek a wide range of measures including a renegotiation of the April beef agreement, if necessary. The moves were taken after a lengthy meeting of senior government and ruling party officials.
On April 18, South Korea agreed to almost entirely remove its restrictions on U.S. beef imports -- including those on the age of butchered cattle -- fueling local concerns over mad cow disease, which caused South Korea to suspend American beef imports in 2003.
Tens of thousands of citizens have taken to the streets almost every day since the April agreement, demanding that the government renegotiate the deal with Washington.
In a policy coordination meeting presided over by Prime Minister Han Seung-soo, government and ruling party officials agreed to request additional negotiation with teh United States to first ban imports of beef from U.S. cattle older than 30 months. The posting of the new U.S. beef import rules -- originally slated for Monday -- will be delayed until further notice, officials said.
Under the initial pact, South Korea will first open its market to beef from younger U.S. cattle, the 30-month ban eventually being removed on the condition of toughened animal feed regulations in the United States.
"The government and the party agreed to consider every possible measure to seek a solution (to the ongoing disputes), which could include renegotiating the deal," said Cho Yoon-sun, spokeswoman for the ruling Grand National Party. "The focus, right now, is on importing safe U.S. beef from cattle under 30 months old."
Cho, however, implied that the chance of a renegotiation remained slim as changing the beef pact would influence the U.S. beef market.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan will soon meet with U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow to deliver his country's request.
It remains to be seen whether the United States will accept the request of an additional negotiation of the beef pact, which was one of the four preconditions for negotiating a free trade agreement with Washington, struck last June under the liberal Roh Moo-hyun government. Three of the preconditions were accepted by Roh.
The United States had accepted South Korea's request last monthto add an additional article to the beef agreement to allow the latter the right to immediately halt imports should a new case of mad cow disease be confirmed in the United States.
Both the U.S. and South Korean legislatures are split over whether to ratify the trade pact, which has been viewed as crucial in giving impetus to the economic initiatives of the Lee government.
Despite the government's assurance on the safety of U.S. beef, public anger has intensified since last week when the government started a legal process to put the new import terms into effect.
As many as 60,000 citizens took to the streets last weekend.
Hundreds were detained by police and dozens were injured amid the violent clashes that included police use of water cannons.
President Lee Myung-bak's approval rating has plummeted recently to a low-20 percent range for the first time since he took office in February, reflecting public discontent over his decision to resume U.S. beef imports. Many accuse his government of having chosen economic benefit over public health in the April beef pact.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article