Gov’t to Delay U.S. Beef Import Notification

The government has decided to delay the promulgation of the sanitary terms on U.S. beef imports for seven to 10 days. The announcement was originally slated for today.

At a National Assembly hearing on the free trade agreement with the United States Wednesday, Minister of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Chung Woon-chun said, “The government received 334 suggestions as of yesterday. Therefore, it will be impossible for us to make the announcement on Thursday.” He added, “We are carefully considering postponing the notification.”

Chung also said that a team of government inspectors dispatched to the United States is closely checking the quarantine procedures of the 31 certified slaughterhouses in the United States. “We will make a decision after comprehensively reviewing relevant information,” the minister said.

He further hinted that the government may change the details of the notification after reviewing the suggestions, though he ruled out the possibility of renegotiation.

Analysts say that the government will likely announce the notification on May 25, when the dispatched team is scheduled to return to Seoul after their 10 days of inspection.

“The ministry should specify the content of the U.S. Trade Representative’s statement in its notification,” Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon said at the hearing. In the statement, the U.S. side agreed to support the Korean government’s stance that it will halt U.S. beef imports when mad cow disease is reported in the United States.

Meanwhile, the government is planning to improve its trade negotiation system by analyzing the problems found in the process of the recent beef import negotiations and considering taking disciplinary measures against the related officials who were negligent of or irresponsible for their duties, according to a senior member of the ruling Grand National Party.

President Lee Myung-bak also held a meeting with his chief secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday afternoon to discuss ways to improve communications with the public and promote government policies.

srkim@donga.com swpark@donga.com