News & Events | South Korea Update

South Korea Update

The following is a recap of South Korean media coverage of the U.S. beef situation and pending direction from USMEF when the impasse is resolved.

South Korean Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-chun told a news conference today (June 24) that the government would soon restart beef imports from the United States by posting an official notice of the agreement: "I can't clearly say the notice would be made today or tomorrow, but we can't further delay it."

President Lee Myung-bak reportedly told a cabinet meeting today that his government would not tolerate any illegal, violent demonstrations against the planned resumption of U.S. beef imports. He added, however, that the government should review its policies when it faces protests criticizing a certain policy.

South Korean media report that the United States and South Korea have reached what U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab called a "commercial understanding" between U.S. exporters and South Korean importers that only meat from cattle younger than 30 months would be exported to Korea. The plan is "a transitional measure, to improve Korean consumer confidence in U.S. beef," Schwab said in a statement. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will set up a "voluntary" system to verify the age of beef. Media reports state that if South Korea finds beef has been shipped that violates the agreement, it can take action only against the specific product or company involved.

A letter from USMEF, the American Meat Institute and the National Meat Association to USDA Secretary Schafer and U.S. Trade Representative Schwab outlining the associations’ request for an age verification Quality System Assessment (QSA) program for South Korea was reported factually in that country’s media with reference to its accessibility on www.USMEF.org.

A public survey released Tuesday suggested most South Koreans still oppose the new import plan. Nearly 53 percent of respondents to a telephone survey said the South Korean government should not accept the new deal, while just over 38 percent supported it. The survey of 726 adults, conducted by the Seoul-based Korea Research Center, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.

USMEF-Korea reports that Korean newspapers and other media vary in their support and criticism of the Korean government, but most want it to resort to “practical measures to ease the public anxiety.” They see the problem as a public relations issue and that the challenge is to persuade the public. Editorials are telling the general public that it’s time to “get back to normal.”

After the Korean government announced the new “commercial understanding,” most newspapers responded with positive editorials. The more “progressive” media, the “Anti Mad Cow” groups and the bloggers, however, continue the criticism and calls for complete renegotiation. While the number of protestors has dwindled, street demonstrations continue.

A survey by Donga Ilbo, a respected Korean daily newspaper established in 1920, found that 58.5 percent of respondents want the anti-U.S. beef import candlelight vigils to stop and 63.5 percent hold the vigils responsible for the subsequent violence and illegality.

The U.S. government is working toward resolution of the remaining issues to opening the market to U.S. beef. When South Korea is officially open to U.S. beef, USMEF will provide information to help members export to Korea in complete compliance with the regulations and requirements. It will be essential for the industry to scrupulously obey the spirit and the letter of the final agreement.