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S. Korea pledges 'aggressive response' over Canada's beef
April 11, 2009, Saturday
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The Republic of Korea says it will respond aggressively to a move by Canada to take a bilateral dispute over beef to the World Trade Organization.
Canada is seeking intervention by the WTO to address a South Korean ban on its beef that has been in place for more than 5 years over fears of mad cow disease.
It says it is calling on the WTO to begin consultations over a "continuing unjustified ban" on its beef, Canadian Trade Minister Stockwell Day said in a statement issued on Thursday.
"We are disappointed to have to launch this action, as we had hoped to resolve our differences through negotiation," Day said.
South Korea banned Canadian beef in May 2003 over fears of mad cow disease.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Seoul said South Korea would pursue an "aggressive response" to Canada's move in line with WTO rules.
Canada said WTO consultations provide an opportunity for parties to resolve disputes through discussions. If consultations fail, the complaining party can ask that the issue be referred to a WTO dispute settlement panel.
Controlled risk
Canada argues that the World Organization for Animal Health recognized Canada as a "controlled risk" country in 2007 for beef, the same status as the United States.
US beef was banned from South Korea over mad cow disease worries in December 2003, though restricted imports are now allowed.
The South Korean government's lifting of the ban on US beef led to massive street protests in Seoul last year that shook the government of President Lee Myung-bak and forced it to backtrack on plans for a wider reopening of the domestic market to American beef.
Eating meat products contaminated with mad cow disease is linked to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare and fatal human condition.
Canada is seeking intervention by the WTO to address a South Korean ban on its beef that has been in place for more than 5 years over fears of mad cow disease.
It says it is calling on the WTO to begin consultations over a "continuing unjustified ban" on its beef, Canadian Trade Minister Stockwell Day said in a statement issued on Thursday.
"We are disappointed to have to launch this action, as we had hoped to resolve our differences through negotiation," Day said.
South Korea banned Canadian beef in May 2003 over fears of mad cow disease.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Seoul said South Korea would pursue an "aggressive response" to Canada's move in line with WTO rules.
Canada said WTO consultations provide an opportunity for parties to resolve disputes through discussions. If consultations fail, the complaining party can ask that the issue be referred to a WTO dispute settlement panel.
Controlled risk
Canada argues that the World Organization for Animal Health recognized Canada as a "controlled risk" country in 2007 for beef, the same status as the United States.
US beef was banned from South Korea over mad cow disease worries in December 2003, though restricted imports are now allowed.
The South Korean government's lifting of the ban on US beef led to massive street protests in Seoul last year that shook the government of President Lee Myung-bak and forced it to backtrack on plans for a wider reopening of the domestic market to American beef.
Eating meat products contaminated with mad cow disease is linked to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare and fatal human condition.
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