Opposition Snubs Lee’s Apology
By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak apologized to the people Thursday for the government's ``failure'' in beef import talks with the United States, but the opposition parties downplayed his remarks as insincere, saying he failed to give a substantial answer.
In his nationally televised speech, Lee said, ``The government was unable to pool public views sufficiently before striking the deal. It is regrettable to the people.''
But neither did he admit to ``sloppy, unprofessional negotiations'' with the United States over the beef deal nor indicate any commitment to seeking to renegotiate it.
``To be honest, I'm embarrassed to see the groundless fears of mad cow disease spreading across the county, because the government was concentrating on mapping out post-opening aid measures for domestic cattle farmers,'' he said.
Though Lee expressed regrets for failing to communicate with the people sufficiently before the government agreed to resume U.S. beef imports, he did not apologize for allowing the import of beef from cattle aged 30 months.
National Assembly Speaker Lim Chae-jung, meanwhile, reiterated his objections to invoking his power to table a motion to ratify a free trade agreement (FTA) with America before the incumbent National Assembly's term ends next Thursday.
Lim says he is aware that many people are concerned about the safety of American beef. President Lee has vowed to take thorough measures to remove any possible threat to the health of Koreans.
Lee stressed that Washington has reconfirmed that the beef consumed by Americans and imported U.S. beef products are the same.
``It was heartbreaking for me to see even young students hold candlelit vigils (to protest the beef deal) at the very Cheonggyecheon Plaza that I restored when I was the mayor of Seoul,'' he said.
President Lee reiterated his position that the outgoing National Assembly should ratify the FTA before its four-year terms ends next Thursday.
The President promised that imports of American beef can be suspended if a case of mad cow disease occurs there, and appealed to the opposition parties not to raise the beef issue any more and to be cooperative in ratifying the FTA.
He stressed that an FTA with the U.S. will be instrumental in moving Korea toward becoming an advanced country.
The Lee administration has been under criticism for hurriedly agreeing to reopen the market to U.S. beef in mid-April prior to Lee's summit with President George W. Bush at Camp David. Bush had campaigned for the opening of Korea's beef market to get the U.S. Congress to approve the FTA.
``President Lee should persuade President Bush to open renegotiations, rather than trying to persuade the Korean people,'' said Choi In-kee, chief policymaker of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP).
Choi said the Bush administration should also take note of the fact that a majority of Koreans strongly oppose the import of meat from American cattle aged 30 months. Without renegotiation, the current anti-American beef campaign might spawn anti-U.S. sentiment, he added.
The UDP will file a complaint today with the prosecution against three ministers _ Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung-hwan, Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon and Minister of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Chung Woon-chun _ for making false testimonies at the parliamentary hearing on the American beef.
Park Sun-young, spokeswoman of the Liberty Forward Party (LFP), said, ``The FTA related with economic benefits and losses is basically different from beef imports which might damage public health.''