Korea-EU FTA deal heads to parliament [English, CSY]

Opposition wants to delay approval

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2933021

A motion to ratify the Korea-EU free trade agreement was submitted to the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee yesterday, but political differences emerged concerning the ratification schedule.  The ruling Grand National Party is aiming to have the trade pact approved by March 9 after two days of subcommittee hearings. But the main opposition Democratic Party wants to take more time to examine the impact of the FTA on the local economy. The DP has already taken the government to task for submitting an earlier version of pact with translation errors.

S. Korea confirms additional bird flu outbreak [English, CSY]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2011/03/03/0501000000AEN20110303005700320.HTML

South Korea confirmed an additional bird flu case at a duck farm in the southern part of the country on Thursday amid a recent decline in the number of suspected cases.  Tests showed that 31,000 birds at a poultry farm in Goheung, 475 kilometers south of Seoul, were infected with the virulent H5N1 strain of the avian influenza (AI), the farm ministry said.

Gov't mulls capping livestock population [English, CSY]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2011/03/04/25/0301000000AEN20110304002500315F.HTML

South Korea is pondering a revision of livestock farming regulations to limit the number of cows, pigs and draft animals raised at local ranches, officials said Friday.  The idea is among a package of policy proposals reported to President Lee Myung-bak aimed at lessening the vulnerability of livestock here to contagious diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and bird flu, they added.  The ongoing endemic of foot-and-mouth disease nationwide has sounded an alarm bell for the government and farmers.   "There are opinions that South Korea is susceptible to foot-and-mouth and other contagious diseases due to the high density of animal farming, as many livestock are raised in small places," an official at Lee's office Cheong Wa Dae told Yonhap News Agency by phone. He asked not to be named.

Seoul Dairy may Reduce Fluid Milk Supply to Convenience Stores [Korean, OSY]

http://www.hankyung.com/news/app/newsview.php?aid=2011030309131&sid=0104&nid=004&ltype=1

Summary: Seoul Dairy, the leading fluid milk supplier in Korea, announced on March 3 that it sent a memo to leading convenience store chains that it might reduce the supply of fluid milk by as much as 40 percent.  The memo reflects worries in the company that it might not be able to meet the supply contract with major customers due to reduced milk production under FMD situation.