December 19, 2006

South Korea rejects US request to discuss beef at FTA talks

Even as the US pledged to block the ongoing FTA talks with South Korea over beef issue, the latter refused to discuss the same.

The disagreement prompted Washington to postpone a working-level FTA session on sanitary conditions for the import of agricultural products.

The fifth round of FTA talks between US and South Korea was clouded by South Korea's decision to ban three shipments of US beef over small bone fragments. The South Korea earlier lifted a three-year import ban on US beef on the condition that the US would only send boneless meet. However, the two countries entered into a row after South Korea returned three US shipments saying the beef had bone fragments in them.

In a heated response, US agriculture secretary Mike Johanns accused South Korea of using underhand tactics.

Seoul's Agriculture Ministry said the US wanted to include beef as part of the FTA package, while they wanted the same to be discussed separately.

The next round of full FTA negotiations is due in South Korea in mid-January.