S. Korea seeks higher int'l status in fight against mad cow disease

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to submit a request to the World
Organization for Animal Health between August and September to have it designated
a "controlled risk" country in terms of mad cow disease, government officials
said Sunday.
The international organization, better known by its French acronym OIE, will
decide whether to grant South Korea the controlled risk status for the deadly
livestock illness at its general meeting to be held in May next year if the
country's application meets its requirements, they said.
In order to receive the controlled risk status, a country must secure over
300,000 points in the seven years prior to submitting an application, said the
officials, noting South Korea has so far obtained 370,000 points.
Under OIE regulations, countries are placed into one of three categories based on
the risk of mad cow disease -- negligible, controlled and undermined risk.
Negligible risk status is given to countries that show little risk of developing
mad cow disease. Countries where adequate measures such as the removal of risk
materials, including brains and spinal cords, have been implemented receive a
controlled risk status, despite some cases of mad cow still being present.
Australia and 11 other countries currently belong to the negligible risk
category, while the U.S. and 31 other countries are recognized as having a
controlled risk designation in accordance with OIE regulations.
South Korea, which to date has not reported a single mad cow case, currently
ranks in the undermined risk category, due to its inability to independently
measure mad cow risk.
All countries belonging to categories above the controlled status are allowed to
export their own beef without restrictions as long as certain risk materials are
properly removed.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)