Source:   Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 5/6/11

South Korean officials said today that Seoul has no plans to expand access to imports of U.S. beef following Washington’s latest call for talks on the matter, Yonhap News reported.

The U.S. government said Wednesday it would take up the beef issue once the countries’ bilateral free-trade agreement takes effect. At the same time, USDA awarded an extra $1 million via its Market Access Program to the U.S. Meat Export Federation to support ongoing beef promotion efforts in South Korea.

But so far Seoul isn’t budging.

“The government’s stance on the issue still remains firm,” Deputy Trade Minister Choi Seok-young was quoted as saying. “The U.S. could ask for a wider opening of the beef market, and we could respond to talks, but it does not mean a further opening of our beef market.”

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