P.M. BRIEFING : Seoul Resolves U.S. Beef Dispute
South Korea has resolved a dispute with the United States over beef imports, averting possible trade sanctions, Trade Ministry officials said today.
Under an agreement reached after three days of talks that ended Wednesday in Washington, Seoul will increase its beef import quota to 58,000 metric tons this year from 50,000 last year, the officials said.
The quota will rise to 62,000 metric tons in 1991 and 66,000 in 1992, according to the accord.
“U.S. negotiators originally asked us to submit a schedule for total liberalization of beef imports but later agreed to accept our offer to increase the annual quota,” a ministry official said.
He said Seoul and Washington will hold talks before July, 1992, to discuss the possibility of removing South Korea’s beef import barriers.
Washington had threatened to impose a ban on some South Korean imports unless Seoul opened its markets to more American beef.
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