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Food News Clipping

March 22, 2011

2011.03.22

FAS/Seoul Monitoring of Media Reporting on Agricultural Issues

Today's Date: March Tuesday 22, 2011

For Coverage: March 21 - 22, 2011

1. BILATERAL/MULTILATERAL ISSUES

Korea and Peru sign FTA agreement [Korean: BYK]

http://www.newsway.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=107939

Summary: Korea signed the FTA agreement with Peru on March 21^st. This is the 8^th FTA that Korea has established and the second FTA signed with a South American country, after the one with Chile.

S. Korean exports to get a boost from Peru FTA [English, OYS]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2011/03/21/0200000000AEN20110321001500320.HTML

Summary: SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- The implementation of a free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and Peru will likely boost the country's exports to the South American nation, a survey by a local trade body showed Monday.
The countries are set to sign the proposed trade deal later Monday. The FTA becomes effective after both of their respective legislatures approve the deal.

Opposition party members ask for cancellation of early ratification of Korea – EU FTA [Korean: BYK]

http://www.asiae.co.kr/news/view.htm?idxno=2011032210214478601

Summary: Forty-three National Assemblymen from the opposition parties claimed that they needed more time to review the procedural process of the FTA between

Korea

and EU as well as practical review of the content of the Korea-EU FTA. Therefore, these assemblymen asked the government to withdraw its plan for an early ratification of the Korea-EU FTA and also asked Trade Minister Jong Hoon Kim to resign.

2. LIVESTOCK ISSUES

Korea and Canada close to reaching an agreement on beef import protocol [Korean: BYK]

http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=100&oid=001&aid=0004968895

Summary: According to an anonymous Government officer, “Both countries have been able to resolve a lot of different opinions through phone conference, exchange of documents, etc, since the last bilateral consultations in October 2010. Unless, an unexpected variable comes up, we think that we will be able to reach an agreement soon.” Both governments have agreed to import beef from under thirty month old animals and the by-products will be subject to stricter protocol than that for U.S. beef by-products.

Shot gun pellet found in imported beef [Korean: BYK]

http://www.seoulfn.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=103874

Summary: A consumer than had purchased imported beef from a restaurant found metal material in the meat. According to the police, it is assumed that the metal material is a lead that is about 1 cm long and is assumed to be a shot gun pellet. The quarantine authorities are tracing back the origin of the meat. On the other hand, a man reported in March 2010 that he had found shot gun pellet in short ribs from New Zealand while dining at a restaurant.

Chungnam province conducts DNA tests on beef being served in school lunch programs [Korean: BYK]

http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=003&aid=0003756087

Summary: The Chungnam province will conduct DNA tests on beef being served in the school lunch program to verify whether they are Hanwoo beef or imported beef.

S. Korea, Canada near deal on beef ban: source [English, OYS]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2011/03/21/0200000000AEN20110321005100320.HTML

Summary: SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Canada are close to reaching an understanding that could lift the beef import ban imposed by Seoul since May 2003, a government source said Monday.
The two countries have almost ironed out outstanding differences in key issues since they started negotiations in October, said the source who declined to be identified. If there are no unexpected developments, a formal agreement that would permit Canadian beef to reach local markets could be settled by April at the latest, he said.

3. MARKETING ISSUES

E-Mart to Strengthen HMR Business … New Plan Includes Launching of Small Outlets that Sell HMR Products Only [Korean, OSY]

http://www.hankyung.com/news/app/newsview.php?aid=2011032163631&sid=0104&nid=004&ltype=1

Summary: E-Mart announced a new HMR (Home Meal Replacement) business plan on March 21. According to the plan, E-Mart will expand designated HMR section, currently offered in 55 stores, to all 135 E-Mart stores by the end of next year. In addition, E-Mart will launch small-scale outlets in metropolitan areas that sells HMR products only. The number of HMR products will also be increased from the current 200 to 500 menus by the end of next year. E-Mart plans targets to earn 1 trillion won of sales from HMR business within the next five years.

Lotte Liquor Acquires Chungbook Soju at W35 Billion [Korean, OSY]

http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/economy/2011/03/21/0302000000AKR20110321095400003.HTML

Summary: Lotte Liquor announced on March 21 that it had acquired Chungbook Soju, a regional Soju distiller, at W35 billion. This acquisition will increase Lotte Liquor’s Soju market share by 1.6% on top of existing 14.1%.

4. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES

S. Korean retailers to stop imports of Japanese foods [English, OYS]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2011/03/21/0200000000AEN20110321005051320.HTML

Summary: SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean retailers said Monday that they have decided to suspend imports of foods and products from Japan due to growing consumer concern over their possible contamination with radiation released from an earthquake-damaged nuclear power plant.
Lotte Mart Co., South Korea's third-largest discount store chain, said it will not sell pollack which have mainly been imported from Japan, starting Tuesday

The information in this report was compiled by the Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea. The press summaries contained herein do NOT reflect USDA, the U.S. Embassy, or other U.S. government agency official policy or view point. U.S. food exporters can learn more about market opportunities in South Korea by reviewing ATO Seoul’s Exporter Guide and other reports available at www.fas.usda.gov by clicking on “attaché reports”.

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