June 5, 2008

US ambassador rejects re-negotiation for beef deal
    

The US ambassador to South Korea has rejected requests to re-negotiate the controversial beef deal while South Korean importers have pledged not to import US beef from cattle older than 30 months.

There is no need for re-negotiation of the beef deal as it is based on science and there is no scientific justification to postpone implementation, according to the US ambassador Alexander Vershbow.

Vershbow said the US is disappointed that South Korea has delayed US beef imports and has called for the imports to resume as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, South Korean beef importers have pledged voluntarily to forgo imports of US beef from cattle older than 30 months. The decision is taken to remove public anxiety, said Park Chang-kyu head of the provisional Korea Meat Import Association.

South Korean agriculture minister Chung Woon-chun said the government will not be satisfied with the US exporters' labelling of cattle age alone. He said South Korea will continue to oppose the imports of US beef from cattle aged 30 months or older.

An agriculture ministry official said the government's policy is to ban imports of beef from older cattle either through re-negotiations or self-regulation by importers.