South Korea-Canadian beef.

SOUTH KOREA-THE IMPORT OF CANADIAN BEEF.

The South Korean government said on Friday that it will take active measures on the Canadian beef imports, after being informed of Canada’s requesting the World Trade Organization (WTO) to review Seoul’s ban on Canadian beef imports.

South Korea ’s Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said that the government will keep an active manner on dealing with the current situation, although it may be an uphill debate, Yonhap news agency said.

Earlier in the day the Canadian embassy in Seoul said that the Canadian government has requested the WTO to review South Korea ’s ban on Canadian beef imports.

South Korea has been putting a ban on Canadian beef imports since May 2003 after the country declared its first mad cow disease case.

According to the embassy, Seoul has been brought to the WTO as the government keeps silent on opening the beef market to the country despite a range of scientific evidence supporting the safety of Canadian beef and cattle.

"If the beef issue goes before the WTO, only hard scientific and objective proof involving existing data on mad cow disease will be examined, without domestic consumer sentiment or public opinion taken into consideration," Farm Minister Chang Tae-pyong said, adding he wishes to settle the arrangement through bilateral talks.

The Canadian government is also still open to a chance of settling the case without taking further action with the help of the WTO, Yonhap quoted the embassy as saying.

Under WTO dispute settlement arrangement, a consultation is the first step to narrow differences with regards to a trade dispute, with talks to begin within 30 days of the request being submitted.

If no understanding is reached between the two sides, the matter will be forwarded to the dispute settlement panel to reach a ruling.

South Korea kept a ban on U.S. beef since late 2003 as well, but lifted it last year.

bernama.com