S. Korea receives request for beef import resumption from Ca
SEOUL, June 11 (Xinhua) — Canada has made an official request for bilateral talks with South Korea for resumption of Canadian beef imports, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said on Friday.
The ministry said that Canada has asked for one-on-one technical consultations between beef experts of the two nations.
Officials here are mulling ways on how to deal with the beef issue, according to the country\’s state-run broadcaster KBS.
Seoul is considering starting negotiations as early as July after going through preparation process, including holding a livestock quarantine consultation committee meeting, it said.
South Korea banned the import of Canadian beef in May 2003 following an outbreak of mad cow disease in Canada. However, Canada has demanded South Korea to reopen its market to Canadian beef after receiving a controlled risk status from the World Organization for Animal Health in 2007.
The latest development in relations between South Korea and Canada will likely have South Korea face mounting pressure from other major beef exporters for market opening.
