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food safety | SPS

food safety | sanitary and phytosanitary standards

South Korean government crack down peaceful demonstration!
2-Jun-2008 KCTU
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions calls on the Korean government to repeal the US beef deal, stop the violence of the riot police and respect people’s voices and rights.
S Korea delays controversial US beef imports
2-Jun-2008 AFP
South Korea decided Monday to put off the implementation of its decision to resume US beef imports, the agriculture ministry said in the wake of widespread protests.
Riot police trample coed repeatedly in Seoul
2-Jun-2008 Seoul Times
South Korean police’s brutal suppression toward ever-growing anti-US beef demonstrations by its citizen became the key issue as the confrontation between police and protesters got more fierce.
US beef protest draws 100,000 S Koreans
31-May-2008 Guardian
"Not just the beef deal, but the Lee Myung-bak government’s policies are anti-working people and are not right," college student Ju Ha-na, who took part in a head-shaving ceremony in protest, said.
The situation of protest about US beef import in S Korea is similar to that of June 1987
31-May-2008 Hankyoreh
Farmers, professors and veterans, and citizens protest the government’s announcement about U.S. beef import
People hit the streets to protest US beef imports
30-May-2008 Hankyoreh
As the government of South Korea notified the public that it will implement new import rules for US beef imports on May 29, civic organizations, labor groups and Internet users are strongly denouncing the move. They plan to take steps to block distribution and consumption of the American meat, while warning of a “nationwide, anti-government fight".
South Korean parties file suits to stop beef
30-May-2008 AFP
South Korea’s political opposition asked the Constitutional Court on Friday to block U.S. beef from entering the country after the government announced it would resume imports within days under an accord with Washington.
S Korea, US continue consultations on beef: envoy
19-May-2008 Yonhap
South Korea and the United States are continuing consultations on the controversial issue of beef trade, with public protests here over a related deal showing no signs of abating, the top U.S. envoy here said Monday.
Korea to get quarantine sovereignty over US beef
19-May-2008 Korea Times
South Korean negotiators have won a new concession from US officials regarding the American beef import agreement, with the new clause giving Seoul "quarantine and inspection sovereignty," government sources said Monday.
Meat wars with South Korea
16-May-2008 Counter Punch
While the FTA delivers on Lee’s pledge to double South Korea’s wealth if elected and lets the U.S. rebuild its Asian beef trade obliterated by a mad cow scare five years ago—especially exports to China and Japan—many in South Korea are saying, "You want us to import WHAT"?
Govt asks EU to lift ‘paranoid’ health-related trade barriers
12-May-2008 Financial Express
In a move that may help negotiators to move ahead with the proposed India-European Union free-trade agreement (FTA), the Indian government has forwarded two significant suggestions to the EU to settle the wrangling on it’s health-related trade rules.
Free to be poisoned
8-May-2008
Not everyone was disappointed when the Doha round of trade talks got bogged down in endless wrangling. After all, the United States and the European Union were pushing developing countries to liberalise their economies still further, while refusing to abolish their own agricultural subsidies. Better no trade deal than a bad one, or so we thought.
Seoul raises possibility of suspending US beef imports
7-May-2008 Yonhap
Agriculture minister Chung Woon-chun told lawmakers that Seoul will take the unilateral step even if such a move could lead to trade disputes with Washington.
Tension mounts as S Koreans vow to protest over US beef despite police warning
6-May-2008 Yonhap
South Koreans opposing the government’s decision to import most US beef cuts vowed to continue candlelight vigils later Tuesday despite a police warning to stay away from political rallies.
S. Koreans protest over US beef safety
2-May-2008 Yonhap
Some 10,000 South Koreans gathered in Seoul late Friday to peacefully protest the government’s decision to resume US beef imports, despite outcry over the safety of the product once banned over concersn of mad cow disease.
US-Korea beef protocol (2008)
1-May-2008
USTR fact sheet on opening South Korea to US beef
19-Apr-2008 USTR
The United States and Korea concluded an agreement on April 18, 2008 to fully reopen South Korea’s market to all US beef and beef products irrespective of whether or not the FTA is ratified
South Korea relaxes US beef import rules
18-Apr-2008 Washington Post
South Korea on Friday agreed to open up to U.S. beef imports after Washington pledged to raise safety standards, boosting prospects for a sweeping trade deal ahead of a summit between leaders of the allies later in the day.
Food safety on the butcher’s block
18-Apr-2008 FPIP
The United States is using bilateral trade agreements to arm-twist weaker countries into accepting its food safety standards as a tool to expand the market control of US corporations. South Korea is the latest victim.
China, US move forward on new food safety agreement
2-Apr-2008
The US and China have agreed to implement a new bilateral food safety system by initially focusing on four product categories, said FDA officials.