Seoul: The Trump administration is anticipated to exert pressure on South Korea to further open its market to US beef imports, potentially reigniting health concerns among the South Korean public. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has recently submitted a letter to the Office of the US Trade Representative, highlighting what it deems unfair trade practices by US trading partners, including South Korea's ban on importing US beef from cattle aged 30 months or older.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the association's letter suggests that South Korea should allow the import of US beef regardless of the age of the cattle at the time of slaughter, a move already taken by countries like China, Japan, and Taiwan. The association has urged the US government to engage in discussions with South Korea to eliminate the age restriction, which it views as a trade barrier.
The Office of the US Trade Representative has been publishing the National Trade Estimate report on foreign trade barriers since 1985, with the 2025 report expected to play a crucial role in establishing grounds for reciprocal tariffs promised by the Trump administration. The administration has indicated plans to impose these tariffs in response to nontariff barriers, with South Korea's cattle age restriction being a potential target.
Importing beef from cattle aged 30 months or older has been a contentious issue in South Korea, historically causing massive protests against the government. In 2008, public outcry led the Lee Myung-bak administration to renegotiate import terms to include only beef from cattle younger than 30 months, following concerns over bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or "mad cow disease," which had led to a suspension of US beef imports in 2003.
Despite South Korea becoming one of the largest importers of US beef, Korean cattle ranchers remain cautious. The Hanwoo Association has expressed concerns that lifting the age restriction could facilitate the spread of mad cow disease, citing the seven cases reported in the US, with the most recent occurring in May 2023. The association has pledged to take action if the government moves to import beef from older cattle.
The issue of agricultural market openness is directly linked to farmers' livelihoods and public health. Food safety remains a sensitive subject, and many South Koreans are wary of beef from cattle slaughtered at older ages. The prospect of importing beef perceived as unsafe could exacerbate anti-American sentiment.
While South Korea currently imports more US beef than from any other country, demands to import beef from older cattle are seen as excessive. The issue remains a potential flashpoint for public backlash and division, underscoring the need for cautious negotiation and the prevention of misinformation regarding mad cow disease.