Canada Asks to Lift Beef Import Ban

On January 12, the Canadian government appeared to officially request from the Korean government to alleviate the ban placed on beef import from Canada.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, on January 11, the Canadian agriculture and food minister, Bob Speller, will visit Huh Sang-man, the minister of agriculture, to discuss this issue.

“In order to urge countries such as Korea, Japan, and the U.S. to lift the ban placed on the beef import from Canada since May 2002, when the first case of mad cow disease broke out in Canada, I will visit them directly to discuss,” remarked the agriculture minister of Canada, Speller, on January 6 (local time).

As for this address, the ministry of agriculture announced that it would not lift the embargo on the beef import from Canada and the U.S. until an international authorization is endowed which confirms that the hazardous mad cow disease diffusion has entirely disappeared.

“We think mostly about the health of our people. There is no change in the standpoint of government,” remarked Kim Chang-seop, the chief of quarantine department of agriculture ministry, making it clear that they will not lift the ban in near future.

Jin-Hup Song jinhup@donga.com