Beef Dispute Cripples of New Legislature

Opposition parties Wednesday agreed to boycott the opening of the new National Assembly, unless the government renegotiates a beef import deal with the United States. The opening was originally scheduled for today.

U.S. Ambassador to Korea Alexander Vershbow, on the other hand, hinted that there has been no request for a renegotiation from the Korean government on the beef deal between Seoul and Washington, a minor opposition party leader said.

However, the ambassador said he is consulting with the U.S. government and cattle industry to find out ``substantial changes,'' Moon told reporters after his meeting with Vershbow in Seoul.

Under the current National Assembly Act, lawmakers should hold the opening session within seven days after taking office. The tenure of 299 lawmakers having won the April 9 elections began on May 30.

Chairman Kang Jae-sup of the governing Grand National Party (GNP) is scheduled to meet the U.S. ambassador today to ask him to send a clear message to his government that renegotiation would help quell the rising protests against the resumption of U.S. beef cuts here.

The GNP proposed that a bipartisan delegation be dispatched to the United States for talks with Congress leaders, government officials as well as cattle growers to convince them that both sides need to renegotiate the beef deal as backlash against the accord is out of control.