Blitz Bureau
SEOUL: The United States has called for resolution of South Korea’s restrictions on beef imports, living modified organisms (LMOs), overseas transfer of high-precision map data and other non-tariff measures in their latest trade negotiations, Government sources said.
The three items were mentioned in the second round of technical discussions on various trade issues, including trade imbalance and non-tariff barriers, between the two countries in Washington last month, according to the sources familiar with the matter, reports Yonhap news agency.
All the items are listed on the 2025 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, issued by the office of the US Trade Representative ahead of the Donald Trump administration’s announcement of country-specific reciprocal tariffs in early April.
The NTE report pointed out South Korea has an import ban on American beef from cattle aged 30 months or older, claiming such a “transitional measure” has remained in place for 16 years following the signing of a bilateral free trade agreement in 2008. The report also claimed Seoul’s regulatory system for agriculture biotechnology, including the LMO Act, presents challenges to US agricultural exports.
