By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter

The pro-government Grand National Party (GNP) has been accused of changing its stance on the safety of U.S. beef according to the political situation.

Critics say it has reversed its position on the food safety of U.S. beef after its candidate Lee Myung-bak was elected president.

The party, which is insisting that the American meat is "safe to eat" under the Lee administration, called on the Roh Moo-hyun government to take tougher measures on U.S. beef exporters' sanitation rule violations, citing the possible risk of mad cow disease, last year.

When backbones _ which might contain specified risk materials (SRM) _ were found in U.S. beef shipments last August, GNP chief policymaker Lee Ju-young said: "The Roh administration should issue a ban on U.S. beef, turning from its lukewarm attitude which merely stopped at quarantine inspections."

Now the party is insisting that the products are safe to eat despite eased quarantine rules, saying that opposition parties are goading ordinary citizens to stage rallies.

Last September, a group of 68 lawmaker submitted to the National Assembly a resolution urging then President Roh and the government to impose a ban on imports of U.S. beef as early as possible.

The 68 included 25 lawmakers of the GNP, 28 lawmakers of the UDP and nine of the Democratic Labor Party (DLP).

After stopping the import, the government should not lift the ban until the safety of U.S. beef was proved "scientifically," they said in a statement.

The legislators also said the U.S. is still feeding cattle bone meal, which could cause mad cow disease, while Japan and European countries are refraining from doing so.

American consumer advocates are also sounding the alarm over potential risks of consuming U.S. beef. Their criticism is based on the alleged laxness of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in screening cattle at the risk of being infected with BSE.

The Center for Food Safety, based in Washington, D.C., raised suspicions about the relationship between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and beef producers, saying, "When we are dealing with mad cow disease, the public health is taking a back seat to the interest of industry."

According to some U.S. media, more and more American ranchers are burying cattle suspected of mad cow disease without notifying regulators, including the USDA.

Angry Koreans are focusing their eyes on how the USDA will report on the safety of U.S. beef in its scheduled press conference in Washington on 6 a.m., Monday (Korean Standard Time).

kys@koreatimes.co.kr