May 5, 2008

 

South Korea begins large-scale imports of GM corn

 

 

Major South Korean corn processors have begun importing GM corn as China tightens export of conventional corn, officials said Friday ( May 2, 2008).

The arrival of a 57,000-tonne GM corn shipment in South Korea on Thursday last week marked the first time the country has imported GM corn on a large scale for human consumption since the government began regulating biotech crops in 2001.

 

Four major South Korean companies - which make up about 90 percent of the local corn processing market - had previously refrained from importing such corn due to consumer concerns.

 

However, the fact that China has stopped exports and South Korea would have to compete with the EU for limited amounts of non-GM corn from South America meant there was little choice but to import GM corn, said Yoo Chang-kyu, an official with the Korea Corn Processing Association, the business lobby for the four companies.

 

The companies, including industry leader Daesang Corp. a major food company, use corn to produce corn starch, a key ingredient in cookies, beverages, ice cream and other foods.

 

Environmental and consumer groups, including the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, have protested the import of biotech corn.

 

On Thursday, activists held a protest at the port of Ulsan, where the GMO corn arrived, holding signs bearing anti-GMO slogans such as "No GMO," Yonhap news agency reported.

 

South Korea imported about 9.5 million tonnes of corn last year, with 7.4 million tonnes  intended for animal feed and 2.1 million tonnes for human consumption, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

 

About half the amount for human consumption was imported from China, a-third from the US and the remainder from South America.

 

Local newspapers said the four Korean companies are expected to import about 1.2 million tonnes of GMO corn this year.

 

But Yoo, of the corn processing association, said the amount is expected to be lower than that considering the expected backlash from consumers.

 

Yoo said the price of non-GMO corn has more than doubled to about US$360 per tonnes since 2006.

 

South Korea requires putting labels on products that used GMOs.

 

Currently about 70 percent of the country's soy imports are genetically modified, according to the Korea Food and Drug Administration.