April 30, 2008

South Korean panel to discuss US beef deal

A South Korean parliamentary committee will hold a hearing next month to discuss Seoul's agreement to resume imports of US beef.

Liberal opposition parties plan to express their concerns over BSE and how the deal could hurt the local cattle industry.

President Lee Myung-bak's Grand National Party admitted that it pushed for the passage of the deal to improve the chances of ratifying the Korea-US free trade agreement with the US.

The FTA has yet to be ratified by congresses of both countries.