By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak ruled out the possibility Friday that Korea would seek to renegotiate the beef import deal with the United States.
``If the government seeks renegotiations to avoid the current crisis, it would invite serious economic repercussions, including trade retaliation and other problems,'' Lee said in a meeting with Buddhist leaders, Friday.
According to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Lee Dong-kwan, President Lee expects American exporters and Korean importers to reach a voluntary agreement not to market beef from cattle older than 30 months here. This private accord, if made, could be a de facto renegotiation of the deal concluded in April, Lee said.
But Lee's decision to impose an age limit on American beef imports triggered criticism by the opposition parties and civic protestors that it was a ``stopgap measure,'' which would not mitigate public fear over mad cow disease.
The private resolution has no legal binding power. They view that Korea cannot regain ``quarantine sovereignty'' via the voluntary resolution unless the two governments revise the accord.
Korea cannot ban U.S. beef imports if a case of mad cow disease occurs _ it can only do so the status for disease control is downgraded internationally.
kys@koreatimes.co.kr