US accused of not sharing enough mad cow data
Korea remains in dark on mad cow disease case
By Kang Seung-woo
In the wake of a new outbreak of mad cow disease in the United States last month, the Korean government is in the hot seat over its lackluster response to the U.S. government’s epidemiologic investigation into the case.
Although it has been more than a month since the outbreak in Alabama, July 18, the Korean government has yet to receive the investigation results, including the cow’s age, details about the farm and information on other cows raised there, among other information.
“It remains to be seen if the U.S. investigation outcome will include the background of the cow, which will help us understand whether Korea is safe from the disease,” said Song Ki-ho of Lawyers for a Democratic Society.
“Despite growing concern over the recurrence of mad cow disease, the Korean government seems to be sitting back, waiting for the U.S. results. It should get more aggressive in asking the U.S. to investigate what Korea wants to know about the disease.”
The Alabama cow is the fifth confirmed with the disease in the U.S. since the first cow was detected with BSE in 2003.
Song said relevant government officials are required to place “quarantine and inspection sovereignty” over the nation’s relations with the U.S. that are closely intertwined in various issues from politics to the economy.
“With regard to this issue, we need to do what we have to do. Otherwise, the two nations will not be able to form a logical framework for communication on this issue, which may eventually cause unnecessary conflict,” he said.
“In that respect, the Korean government is required to continuously ask the U.S. about how it is carrying out the epidemiologic investigation or when its results will come out. In addition, Korea also needs to know what the U.S. has done to verify information in the probe.”
The government said last month that the latest case was “atypical,” which is found in cattle aged eight years or more and is less risky than typical cases. It has also increased the proportion of U.S. beef imports subject to inspection to 30 percent from 3 percent.
Korea and the U.S. have started revising their bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) and there is growing speculation that Washington may urge Seoul to ease the current beef import requirements.
“If we remain low-key regarding the mad cow issue, it could adversely affect the FTA revision talks,” Song said.
As an alternative, the lawyer suggested that Korea adopt meat-import rules as strict as those of China.
In July, China began importing U.S. beef for the first time in 14 years after the two countries agreed to strict and specified requirements.
“Korea should strengthen the meat-import rules equivalent to those of China and take advantage of this case to revise the requirements,” Song said.