hankyoreh

By Lim In-taek, staff writer

In an interview with the Hankyoreh on Friday afternoon, lawmaker-elect (and former chief trade negotiator) Kim Jong-hoon, who led negotiations over beef in 2008, called demands for the cessation of quarantine for US beef and stated that this was not a problem to be solved politically. Kim‘s statement came on the same morning the New Frontier Party and Park had criticized the government and demanded the cessation of quarantine.

“Mad now disease (BSE) is said to have been discovered in one US dairy cow [at least 30 months old]. To say that the Korean public’s right to health has been infringed is excessive, because only beef [from cows] less than 30 months old is imported according to our agreement with the US.” Kim previously stated, immediately following the beef negotiations on May 20, 2008, “The Korean government‘s opinion is that it can immediately cease imports if further cases of BSE breaks out and the health of the Korean public is placed in danger.” Regarding this, Kim said, “In the announcement I made then, the emphasis was on ‘danger to the health of the Korean public,’ not on ‘BSE breaking out.’ The quarantine authorities must judge [the level of health risk] through their accumulated knowledge and expertise. Quarantine is in the field of science and is not a problem that can be solved by politicians. Demands for cessation of quarantine are excessive and present the possibility of trade friction with the United States.”

Kim’s remarks fly directly in the face of the thoughts of Park, who is emphasizing that restrictive measures must be introduced first, while, safety is being verified, in consideration of public sentiment. Kim also said, “[Then] why isn‘t [the NFP] demanding the cessation of imports?” This was a statement by the figure from the Lee Myung-bak man responsible for conducting the beef negotiations opposing Park Geun-hye’s party platform. Kim wrapped up the interview by saying, “Please don’t keep linking me to the party. The party has a policy committee, and the government will feel a burden [because the party has spoken strongly].”

Former NFP Supreme Council member, who was minister for food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries at the time, said, “We must at least cease quarantine to some extent in order to the public’s unease.”

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