Opposition Seeks Tighter Control of Infectious Diseases in Cattle
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Lawmakers of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) submitted to the National Assembly a revision calling for tighter control of the infectious diseases in cattle, Friday.
At a meeting of the party's decision-making Supreme Counsel, UDP floor leader Kim Hyo-seuk said the amendment will require the government to only import boneless beef cuts from cows aged 30 months or less and set a ban on the imports from countries where mad cow disease has ever broken out, if it passes the parliament.
``When and if the government attempts to import beef from countries that have seen an outbreak of the disease, it must get approval from the legislative body,'' Kim said.
The UDP submitted the revision to frustrate the government's beef plan, which was confirmed in a beef deal signed with the United States in April.
Members of the National Assembly's Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Committee will discuss the revision Monday.
After the government's 10-day-delay in the resumption of imports, the UDP and other opposition parties kept pressing the government to sit down with the U.S. government for renegotiations.
The opposition parties plan to adopt a non-binding resolution next week.
Liberty Forward Party (LFP) leader Lee Hoi-chang demanded that the government renegotiate the deal and codify in a new draft that it would halt the import if the disease breaks out there.
Lee also urged President Lee Myung-bak to fire Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-chun to take responsibility for the deal that gave too many concessions to the U.S. government and prompted public fears over the safety of the American beef.
He called for the parliamentary investigation of the deal.