Lee, Bush Discuss Beef

U.S. President George W. Bush talked with Korean President Lee Myung-bak over the phone Saturday concerning the crisis in Korea over beef imports, saying that he understands Koreans` concerns and worries well and will prevent the shipment of things that should not enter Korea.

The telephone talk lasted over 20 minutes from 8:10 p.m., following Korea’s request. According to vice spokeswoman of Cheong Wa Dae Kim Eun-hye, Bush promised that “[the United States] will take specific measures not to export beef aged over 30 months to Korea.”

President Lee told him that Korean consumers are concerned about the safety of U.S. beef and requested that the United States “produces practical and effective measures that can be trusted by Koreans to prevent beef from cattle older than 30 months from being exported to Korea.”

A Cheong Wa Dae official explained Sunday that President Lee directly requested the U.S. president not to export beef in question so as to show clearly that the governments of both countries are cooperating with each other in the best way, unlike the worries raised by some over the effectiveness of self-controlled regulation by the trading companies of both countries.

swpark@donga.com