Korean Trade Official Says U.S.
Bone-In Beef Imports To Resume
By Richard Smith
South Korea will resume imports of U.S. bone-in beef if the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) grants the U.S. "controlled risk" status, a government official has said.
The OIE defines three categories of BSE risk. The best one is "negligible," followed by "controlled" and "undetermined." OIE standards are recognized by the World Trade Organization as a reference for international sanitary rules.
The director general for the Korea-U.S. free talk agreement at South Korea's ministry of trade said in a series of radio interviews on Monday that his country would let bone-in beef back in if the OIE grants the status at its annual general session in late May, the Seoul daily Chosun Ilbo reported Tuesday.
"If the U.S becomes a controlled-risk country, we should resume imports of U.S. beef except specified risk material, and meat of cows under 30 months except parts of the small intestine and the tonsils," Hae-Min Lee said, Chosun Ilbo reported. "That means galbi (ribs) will be imported."
Lee said Korea may shorten its own quarantine procedures after the OIE ruling. "After OIE confirmation, Korea will decide to resume American beef import based on eight inspection steps," he said, according to Chosun Ilbo.
"If we use OIE documents on the risk evaluation of American boneless beef, we can reduce the eight steps and inspection period," Lee added.
Lee denied rumors of a backroom deal. "The ministry will open all agreements in Korean and English around May 20 after legal review procedure with the U.S.," he said.
Currently, only boneless meat from cattle under 30 months, from which all SRMs have been removed, is cleared for import.
"The U.S is highly likely to demand that Korea open its beef market, including beef with bones such as LA galbi, Korean-style rib cut, after the OIE's ruling," an unnamed official with South Korea's ministry of agriculture and forestry told Chosun Ilbo.
"We can't rule out demand to import beef of cows over 30 months from the U.S government," the official told the publication.
However, South Korea's Yonhap News agency reported Wednesday that Hae-Sang Park, vice minister of agriculture and forestry, told reporters there is no basis to speculation Seoul is pushing to conclude talks to set new import guidelines within two to three months.
Bone-In Beef Imports To Resume
By Richard Smith
South Korea will resume imports of U.S. bone-in beef if the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) grants the U.S. "controlled risk" status, a government official has said.
The OIE defines three categories of BSE risk. The best one is "negligible," followed by "controlled" and "undetermined." OIE standards are recognized by the World Trade Organization as a reference for international sanitary rules.
The director general for the Korea-U.S. free talk agreement at South Korea's ministry of trade said in a series of radio interviews on Monday that his country would let bone-in beef back in if the OIE grants the status at its annual general session in late May, the Seoul daily Chosun Ilbo reported Tuesday.
"If the U.S becomes a controlled-risk country, we should resume imports of U.S. beef except specified risk material, and meat of cows under 30 months except parts of the small intestine and the tonsils," Hae-Min Lee said, Chosun Ilbo reported. "That means galbi (ribs) will be imported."
Lee said Korea may shorten its own quarantine procedures after the OIE ruling. "After OIE confirmation, Korea will decide to resume American beef import based on eight inspection steps," he said, according to Chosun Ilbo.
"If we use OIE documents on the risk evaluation of American boneless beef, we can reduce the eight steps and inspection period," Lee added.
Lee denied rumors of a backroom deal. "The ministry will open all agreements in Korean and English around May 20 after legal review procedure with the U.S.," he said.
Currently, only boneless meat from cattle under 30 months, from which all SRMs have been removed, is cleared for import.
"The U.S is highly likely to demand that Korea open its beef market, including beef with bones such as LA galbi, Korean-style rib cut, after the OIE's ruling," an unnamed official with South Korea's ministry of agriculture and forestry told Chosun Ilbo.
"We can't rule out demand to import beef of cows over 30 months from the U.S government," the official told the publication.
However, South Korea's Yonhap News agency reported Wednesday that Hae-Sang Park, vice minister of agriculture and forestry, told reporters there is no basis to speculation Seoul is pushing to conclude talks to set new import guidelines within two to three months.