More talks set on U.S. beef import issue

SEOUL, June 12 (UPI) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's government, shaken by the public outcry over resuming U.S. beef imports, will have talks with Washington on the issue.

South Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon said Thursday he will meet with U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab in Washington this week on the April agreement that lifted the 2003 ban on U.S. beef exports imposed after an outbreak of mad cow disease in the United States.

Lee's office said the government will seek to produce a "renegotiation-like" effect in the talks, Yonhap news agency reported.

There have been widespread demonstrations in South Korea against the deal despite Lee's 3-month-old Cabinet offer to resign.

Some critics want the entire deal renegotiated but Lee's government says that would hurt South Korea's external credit rating and hamper its effort for a free trade agreement with the United States, the European Union and other trading partners.

A presidential office spokesman said a renegotiation is possible only after nullifying the April deal but that would run counter to international trade practices, Yonhap reported.

The official said the government will try to secure a written guarantee from the U.S. government to ban exports of beef from cattle older than 30 months that have the highest risk of mad cow disease, the report said.