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South
Korea has agreed to open its market to all U.S. beef products
from cattle of all ages, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
announced.
"I am pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement
with the South Korean government to reopen the Korean market
to all U.S. beef and beef products, from cattle of all ages,"
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said in a statement.
"The import protocol is fully consistent with (World Animal
Health Organization) OIE guidelines and other international
standards."
South Korea closed its market to U.S. beef and beef products
after a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was
discovered in the United States in December 2003. Prior
to this time, South Korea was the third-largest export market
for U.S. beef and beef products. The United States exported
$815 million worth of beef and beef products in 2003, according
to USTR.
South Korea partially reopened its market to deboned beef
from cattle less than 30 months of age in January 2006,
but this reopening was subject to several interruptions
and the market had been effectively closed since October
2007.
The decision comes just before South Korean President Lee
Myung-bak and President Bush meet in Washington today. It
clears a major hurdle to passage of the free trade agreement
between the two countries, which was signed nearly 10-months
ago but has yet to be passed by Congress.
"With this full resumption of U.S. beef exports to South
Korea, a major obstacle to Congressional consideration of
the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA)
is removed," said Schwab, who also expressed hope the agreement
will put pressure on Japan, Taiwan and China to follow suit.
The new protocol, which will take effect in mid-May, allows
all U.S. beef products that have appropriate Specified Risk
Materials (SRMs), as defined by the OIE, removed.
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