May 3, 2012

South Korea suspends US beef imports on mad cow disease

A resolution has been unanimously passed Tuesday (May 1) by the Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Committee of South Korea's National Assembly, calling for the suspension of US beef imports following the latest outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the US.

This resolution will come into effect if it is passed in the general meeting of the National Assembly Wednesday (May 2). Since both ruling and opposition parties seem to share the same opinion on the issue, the resolution will most likely be formally adopted.

National Assembly resolutions have no legal binding power, but the very fact that the parliament is pushing for a suspension with a unified voice will add political pressure on the government. It may also worsen conflicts, as the government takes a strong stance against import suspensions.

"The National Assembly asks for the suspension of all quarantine procedures and imports of US beef until it is ascertained that the latest BSE outbreak in the US was an isolated incident that does not threaten the food chain," said the resolution. The committee also called for "revisions to the Import Health Requirements signed between Korea and the US in 2008, whereby beef imports from the US will adhere to a stricter standard commensurate to the standards imposed on Canadian beef imports, so as to better ensure the safety and health of the Korean people."

Assemblymen from both the ruling party and opposition party criticised the government's inaction and demanded an immediate suspension of US beef imports and quarantine procedures during the emergency meeting of the committee Tuesday, after which they unanimously passing the resolution. Allowing imports based solely on the assurances of the US government - without waiting for the findings by the Korean investigation team dispatched by the government - will augment public fears and suspicion, the politicians claimed.