South Korea establishes dedicated desk for quarantine negotiations on U.S. agricultural products... "Strengthening communication" (comprehensive)

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yoon-gu = Korea to establish dedicated desk for U.S. agricultural products.

According to the details of the Korea-U.S. trade agreement announced on the 14th, Korea has agreed to cooperate with the U.S. to discuss non-tariff barriers affecting the trade of food and agricultural products.

To this end, it will ensure the implementation of existing commitments in bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding, and will efficiently handle the regulatory approval process for agricultural biotechnology products.

The details also include the establishment of a U.S. desk to handle requests related to U.S. horticultural crops and to resolve delays in U.S. applications.

Kim Yong-beom, Director of the Presidential Office's Policy Planning Bureau, clarified that the additional market opening for rice and beef is not included in the Korea-U.S. agreement.

An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs explained, "In line with the previously agreed content, there will be no additional opening of agricultural and livestock products."

The government has repeatedly stated that there will be no additional market opening for agricultural products, but will strengthen cooperation and communication with the U.S. on non-tariff barriers.

The two countries agreed in August during trade negotiations to establish a U.S. desk to handle the quarantine procedures for imported U.S. agricultural products.

The establishment of the U.S. desk is a response to the U.S. government's complaints about the lengthy quarantine negotiations for assessing the risk of pests and diseases, with the aim of enhancing communication.

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryeong said at a press conference on the 5th, "The U.S. desk will serve as a window to strengthen communication (between Korea and the U.S.). It is a symbolic form of strengthening communication and cooperation."

She explained that the U.S. desk would serve as a contact point between the two countries during official consultations with committees.

Minister Song emphasized that the eight-step quarantine negotiation procedure is an international rule and cannot be omitted.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs issued a statement saying, "The government has thoroughly defended against any additional market opening for agricultural products in the Korea-U.S. trade negotiations," and "plans to establish guidelines for the risk assessment procedure for agricultural biotechnology products to improve the process and conduct objective and scientific reviews for items applied for by the U.S."