October 26, 2010

South Korea, Canada see progress in beef talks

Imports of Canadian beef to South Korea appear likely to resume after South Korean authorities held a fourth round of working-level talks to review conditions under which Canadian beef will be imported.

Canadian beef imports to South Korea had been stopped since 2003 over mad cow disease concerns. South Korea said it hoped to alleviate consumers' worries over the mad cow disease in these talks.

Canada is contending that it had been categorised as a "controlled risk" country for BSE, or mad cow disease, from 2007 and that there is no scientific evidence to justify South Koreans not importing their beef.

The differences in opinion over mad cow disease still remained, but in the negotiations Friday (Oct 22) they reportedly worked out an overall framework on resuming imports to South Korea. The conditions reportedly agreed to were to import beef from cattle that were under 30 months in age and that cow organ imports would remain prohibited.

Further discussions will take place over outstanding differences as soon as an agreement is struck.