May 14, 2007

South Korea to resume negotiations with US for bone-in beef

The US and South Korea have agreed to continue negotiations on bone-in beef and other related issues after the World Organisation for Animal Health's (OIE) general assembly scheduled in May. However, both sides have yet to set an exact date for the negotiations, according to South Korea's Yonhap News agency.

During the assembly, OIE is expected to classify the US a "controlled risk" region for mad cow disease or BSE, which means the country is recognised as being able to export beef from animals of any age.

While the US is eager for South Korea to fully reopen its market to both bone-in and boneless American beef as soon as possible, Seoul has decided to wait for OIE to officially announce its risk analysis results before resuming talks.

US trade negotiators had earlier asked South Korean officials about methods used to inspect American boneless beef imports to assess what criteria was involved during the checks. In response, South Korea provided the US with the requested information and both sides exchanged opinions on the issue, said Kim Chang-seob, chief veterinary officer at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.