YONHAP NEWS

Beef talks overshadow pending Korea-U.S. issues

   By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, June 18 (Yonhap) -- With South Korea's Lee Myung-bak administration beset by a political crisis over its attempt to revise a deal with the U.S. to resume American beef imports, almost all talks on non-beef issues between the two allies have come to a halt, officials said Wednesday.

   Vice Foreign Minister Kwon Jong-rak was scheduled to fly to Washington this week for an annual strategic dialogue with Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte. But Kwon has canceled the trip to remain in Seoul.

   The talks, which mainly focus on regional security concerns, were initially slated for Wednesday in Washington.

   "We asked for a delay of the strategic dialogue because of the domestic situation," a Foreign Ministry official told Yonhap News Agency. "The U.S. agreed to it and we will set an alternative date later this year." When asked to elaborate, the official clarified that he was referring to the situation triggered by the beef controversy.

   The Lee administration is facing its biggest crisis yet following the signing of the beef pact, which critics say is deeply flawed and may expose people here to mad cow disease.

   Following daily street rallies in central Seoul, President Lee's approval ratings recently plummeted to below 20 percent from over 60 percent when he came to power in February. The entire Cabinet and several key presidential secretaries offered to resign to take responsibility for the disaster.

   Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon is in Washington for additional talks with U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab hoping to receive a written assurance from Washington that it will not export meat from older cattle to South Korea. Cattle over 30 months old are seen as being at a higher risk of carrying mad cow disease.

   South Korea and the U.S. had also planned to begin talks this month on how to divide costs for maintaining the thousands of U.S. troops stationed here. That plan has been put on hold.

   Foreign Ministry officials admit that they are avoiding talks on such a sensitive issue.

   "Frankly speaking, we want to begin the talks on the defense costs after the beef issue is resolved," another ministry official said.

   Officials have not ruled out the possibility that U.S. President George W. Bush will postpone his plan to visit South Korea early next month if public protests here continue.

   lcd@yna.co.kr
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