Parties Struggling Over Stances on U.S. Beef Imports

The ruling and opposition parties are struggling to find effective solutions on the disputed resumption of U.S. beef imports.

The matter has grown into a sensitive political issue that can influence approval ratings since it is directly related with a food that Koreans consume.

Political circles have exercised caution in announcing their stances on American beef, as the matter is feared to escalate into an ideological dispute over who is for and against the United States.

The ruling Grand National Party and the progressive Democratic Labor Party are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. The Pro-Park Alliance, the Liberty Forward Party and the main opposition United Democratic Party have moderate stances.

○ GNP could lose political leadership

The GNP supports the decision to resume U.S. beef imports, but could lose public support if it blindly supports the Lee administration.

The party had initially believed everything would go well if it persuaded the people and came up with measures to support cattle breeders. Belatedly aware of the strong public resistance, however, it has begun talking of the possibility of conditional renegotiations.

A GNP source said, “Strong public opposition has reminded lots of GNP lawmakers of 2002, when the GNP lost the presidential election after underestimating the effect of the deaths of two schoolgirls at the hands of a U.S. Army vehicle and sitting idle while the public held a series of candlelight vigils.”

Though the GNP won a parliamentary majority in the April 9 general elections, it could lose political leadership even before the next National Assembly opens. Suspicion is accordingly growing that opposition parties are supporting the candlelight vigils against U.S. beef imports.

○ UDP claims public support

The main opposition UDP is growing vocal over the issue while changing its official stance. The party first said the resumption of U.S. beef imports was inevitable, but later blasted the government while urging the public to accept the decision.

The UDP now is pushing for renegotiations.

With more Koreans joining candlelight vigils against U.S. beef, conservatives and lawmakers in urban areas have stopped stressing practices and common sense in international trade.

Unlike the more radical DLP, the UDP has not proactively participated in the demonstrations to avoid being labeled anti-U.S. A proactive participation by the UDP could give the ruling GNP the notion that opposition parties are fueling the protests.

The UDP also feels burdened since former President Roh Moo-hyun also tried to resume U.S. beef imports. For this reason, the party is urging a renegotiation instead of objecting to the imports.

○ LFP says gov’t abandoned quarantine sovereignty

Led by the hawkish former GNP leader Lee Hoi-chang, the LFP has criticized the government and joined other opposition parties on the beef issue. The upstart party, however, has taken a step back as its supporters and certain party members have questioned if the LFP is against the United States.

In a statement, Lee drew the line yesterday, saying, “It is unacceptable for the government to abandon its quarantine sovereignty. But it is not right to struggle to verify the safety of U.S. beef.”

The party has objected to the UDP’s move to enact a special law on U.S. beef imports and fire the head of the Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry, posing a challenge to the main opposition party.

○ Pro-Park Alliance to pressure GNP

The Pro-Park Alliance, comprised of GNP defectors loyal to former party leader Park Geun-hye, is not against U.S. beef imports. But it has raised questions over GNP measures to deal with the negotiations.

The group’s strategy is apparently to pressure the ruling party without doing harm, given the possibility that Pro-Park Alliance lawmakers could return to the GNP. Park has also remained silent on the issue.

○ DLP releases Roh’s negotiation strategies

The progressive DLP is the most opposed to U.S. beef imports. DLP lawmaker Kang Gi-gap released a document on Korea’s negotiation strategy on U.S. beef by the previous Roh administration yesterday.

Kang said, “The Lee administration has argued that it is just following the decision of its predecessor. But this document proves that the Lee administration has lied to the public.”

The document written by the Agriculture Ministry in September last year included the following statements:

△ Korea will only import beef from cattle younger than 30 months if it resumes U.S. beef imports.

△ Specified risk materials will be excluded from U.S. beef imports.

The Lee administration has agreed to exclude all seven specified risk materials on beef from cattle older than 30 months from imports but allow five from those younger than 30 months.