Canada calls on S. Korea to resume beef import

SEOUL, March 20 (Yonhap) -- A visiting Canadian minister said Friday that South
Korea should resume imports of Canadian beef, stressing that all beef products
are safe, according to trade officials.
South Korea banned Canadian beef in May 2003 after a case of mad cow disease was
reported in the country. Canada was previously the fourth-biggest exporter of
beef to South Korea, behind the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.
According to officials, Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz stressed during
a meeting with South Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon that Canadian beef
earned a "controlled risk" classification from the World Organization for Animal
Health (OIE) in 2007, which technically allows it to export all beef parts, with
the exception of certain specified risk materials (SRMs).
Specified risk materials (SRMs) include brains, eyes, tonsils and intestine parts
that run the highest risk of carrying bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad
cow disease.
In June last year, South Korea eliminated almost all restrictions on the import
of U.S. beef, nearly five years after a total ban was imposed following the
discovery of a mad cow case in the U.S.
South Korea and Canada had a series of talks on lifting Seoul's ban on Canadian
beef last year. But in November last year, Canada reported its 15th case of mad
cow disease. Seoul said it should thoroughly investigate what caused it before
any steps are taken to reopen the local market to Canadian beef.
sam@yna.co.kr
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