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CNN Live At Daybreak

South Korea, Japan Ban U.S. Beef Imports

Aired December 24, 2003 - 06:03   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: South Korea is one of the top three importers of American beef in the world, trailing only Japan and Mexico.
So, how is South Korea dealing with the news of the mad cow in the U.S.? For that, we turn to CNN's Sohn Jie-Ae, who joins us on the phone from Seoul -- Jie-Ae.

SOHN JIE-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka, in Seoul, the officials were very swift to react to the possibility that there was a suspected case of mad cow disease in the United States. Just hours after the announcement from Washington, Seoul officials announced that there would be a ban on U.S. imports -- a temporary ban, they said, of U.S. beef imports into the United States. They halted inspections of U.S. beef at customs points. They also joined Japan in halting the sales of U.S. cow parts that were already in the domestic market.

Now, officials said that these measures were precautionary and would be pending the official results coming out of the United States.

Now, South Korea does import, according to U.S. figures, more than $600 million worth of beef from the United States, and those figures were for 2002. South Korea also relies on imported beef for nearly two-thirds of its beef consumption. And the major countries that provide these beef needs are, No. 1, the United States, and then Australia and New Zealand.

Now, South Korea also does ban the import of beef from some 30 countries, including Japan and Canada, where there were outbreaks of the mad cow disease -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, Jie-Ae, are people already starting to talk about how to perhaps change their diets, given that they just might not be able to get enough beef from other suppliers, such as Australia?

SOHN: Well, it is still a little early, but South Koreans are already starting to talk about the fact that beef prices will be pricier than they were before. Imported meat compared to South Korea's own grown cattle beef was relatively cheaper, and that was why a lot of the restaurants serve the imported meat. So, the South Koreans are talking about how the dining out costs might be higher. And they may have to switch to other types of dietary needs to take their protein intake -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Sohn Jie-Ae, good to see you. Thank you from Seoul, South Korea. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired December 24, 2003 - 06:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: South Korea is one of the top three importers of American beef in the world, trailing only Japan and Mexico.
So, how is South Korea dealing with the news of the mad cow in the U.S.? For that, we turn to CNN's Sohn Jie-Ae, who joins us on the phone from Seoul -- Jie-Ae.

SOHN JIE-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka, in Seoul, the officials were very swift to react to the possibility that there was a suspected case of mad cow disease in the United States. Just hours after the announcement from Washington, Seoul officials announced that there would be a ban on U.S. imports -- a temporary ban, they said, of U.S. beef imports into the United States. They halted inspections of U.S. beef at customs points. They also joined Japan in halting the sales of U.S. cow parts that were already in the domestic market.

Now, officials said that these measures were precautionary and would be pending the official results coming out of the United States.

Now, South Korea does import, according to U.S. figures, more than $600 million worth of beef from the United States, and those figures were for 2002. South Korea also relies on imported beef for nearly two-thirds of its beef consumption. And the major countries that provide these beef needs are, No. 1, the United States, and then Australia and New Zealand.

Now, South Korea also does ban the import of beef from some 30 countries, including Japan and Canada, where there were outbreaks of the mad cow disease -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, Jie-Ae, are people already starting to talk about how to perhaps change their diets, given that they just might not be able to get enough beef from other suppliers, such as Australia?

SOHN: Well, it is still a little early, but South Koreans are already starting to talk about the fact that beef prices will be pricier than they were before. Imported meat compared to South Korea's own grown cattle beef was relatively cheaper, and that was why a lot of the restaurants serve the imported meat. So, the South Koreans are talking about how the dining out costs might be higher. And they may have to switch to other types of dietary needs to take their protein intake -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Sohn Jie-Ae, good to see you. Thank you from Seoul, South Korea. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.