(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yoon-gu = Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Song Mi-ryeong said on the 28th that it is "impossible" to increase the import quota of U.S. rice.
Minister Song made this statement during a comprehensive audit of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries at the National Assembly's Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Food Committee, in response to a question from People Power Party Representative Kang Myeong-gu regarding remarks made by Foreign Minister Cho Hyun.
Earlier, People Power Party lawmakers on the National Assembly's Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Food Committee had asked Foreign Minister Cho to apologize for saying during a government inspection that the import quota for rice by country could be increased.
Minister Song said, "We cannot adjust the country-specific quotas as we wish."
In response to the observation that Cho's remarks differed from the government's previous stance, Song replied that the Foreign Minister is not the subject of negotiations.
When asked if the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries had been bypassed in the tariff negotiations, Song emphasized, "Not at all."
He continued, "(The government) strongly stated from the beginning in formal negotiations that rice and beef are red lines."
Minister Song also received a question from People Power Party Representative Seo Cheon-ho regarding the Foreign Minister's remarks, and emphasized, "Rice and beef being a red line is our government's consistent stance, and I reiterate that there has never been any formal discussion for additional opening."
Regarding the possibility of Korea importing additional U.S. soybeans, Minister Song said, "(Expanding soybean imports is) not at all the case," and suggested that it might be a conjecture based on the U.S.-China talks, "since China has practically stopped importing U.S. soybeans."
ykim@yna.co.kr