Washington, DC —
Senator John Thune (R-SD) today met with Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Lee Tae-sik and made the case for South Korea to reopen its borders to U.S. beef:
"I was pleased to have the opportunity to make a direct appeal to Korean Ambassador Lee to lift the ban on U.S. beef. I stressed that the current trade restrictions on U.S. beef are overreaching, commercially unviable, and not based on science. South Dakota produces some of the highest quality beef in the world. I know firsthand that our cattle and ranching industries, which adhere to a standard of excellence that is respected by nations worldwide, are frustrated with the slow progress being made in reopening the South Korean market. I asked Ambassador Lee to carry my message back to Korean leaders that it is time for them to recognize what the rest of the world knows and respects, and resume beef trade with the U.S. for the economic benefit of both nations."
"I was pleased to have the opportunity to make a direct appeal to Korean Ambassador Lee to lift the ban on U.S. beef. I stressed that the current trade restrictions on U.S. beef are overreaching, commercially unviable, and not based on science. South Dakota produces some of the highest quality beef in the world. I know firsthand that our cattle and ranching industries, which adhere to a standard of excellence that is respected by nations worldwide, are frustrated with the slow progress being made in reopening the South Korean market. I asked Ambassador Lee to carry my message back to Korean leaders that it is time for them to recognize what the rest of the world knows and respects, and resume beef trade with the U.S. for the economic benefit of both nations."
- According to the U.S. Meat Export Federation, South Korea now pays the highest price for beef in the world ($9.37 per pound). South Korea once imported half of its beef from the U.S.
- In 2003, Korea was the United States' second largest beef export market (24 percent).
