1. BILATERAL/MULTILATERAL ISSUES

ROKG Cabinet to review 14 FTA related laws [Korean: BYK]

http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/politics/2011/11/28/0503000000AKR20111128178100001.HTML?template=2087

Summary: President MB Lee will hold a cabinet meeting in the morning of November 29^th to deliberate on the 14 FTA related laws and 10 Presidential Ordinances that are subsequent of the 14 laws and decide to publicize the laws, Once these laws and ordinances pass the cabinet meeting, it will be sent to the Legal Administration and undergo the publication process.

Seoul City reviews all of its city driven regulations to see if any of them have discrepancy with the KORUS FTA [Korean: BYK]

http://www.asiae.co.kr/news/view.htm?idxno=2011112908252972602

Summary: The Seoul city will ask MOFAT to review some 7,000 city regulations and guidelines to see if any of them are in conflict with the KORUS FTA agreement.  Such request for review of all of the municipal regulations is being made after the Seoul Mayor told the central government that there hasn’t been sufficient review of municipal regulations to see if they are in conflict with the KORUS FTA.  The central government has already refuted that there is no possibility for such conflicts as all of the municipal/provincial regulations have been comprehensively deferred.

Anti KORUS FTA Protests Continues [Korean: BYK]

http://www.asiatoday.co.kr/news/view.asp?seq=562196

Summary: Protests against the KORUS FTA continued on the 28^th prior to the signing of the bill by President MB Lee.  The protest that was held in front of the Sejong Cultural Center argued that the current administration was digging its own burial site with the KORUS FTA.  The protestors asked that the people to show the current ruling party what they want through the upcoming National Assemblymen and Presidential elections next year.

2. LIVESTOCK ISSUES

First confirmed case of CJD patient in Korea [Korean: BYK]

http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/society/2011/11/29/0701000000AKR20111129021000017.HTML?template=2086

Summary: The first confirmed case of Chronic Jacob Diseases (CJD) in Korea was found.  The 54 year patient that passed away 4 month ago was confirmed as having died from CJD (latrogenic CJD) after taking brain tissues from the patient and ran further tests on laboratory animals.  The patient had received artificial maninx fibrosa 23 years ago from a CJD infected person’s brain during brain surgery and had not shown any symptoms until about a year ago.  The article explains the different types of CJD, such as vCJD that comes from BSE, latrogenic CJD that comes from mishap during operation, etc.  The report states that this is the first case of a patient getting infected by CJD by using an artificial maninx fibrosa called Lyodura.

Increase in U.S. pork is a temporarily phenomena [Korean: BYK]

http://korea.kr/newsWeb/pages/brief/categoryNews2/view.do?newsDataId=148722986&category_id=fact&section_id=fact&call_from=extlink

Summary: MIFAFF explained that the reason why U.S. pork imports increased so much was not due to FTA as some media were reporting but due to the FMD.  It explained that 33.2% of domestic swine had been culled due to FMD and that U.S. pork imports increased to make up for the shortage in pork supply.  It added that as domestic swine numbers were recovering, pork imports were expected to drop next year.

3. MIFAFF PRESS RELEASES

► MIFAFF and Busan City to Promote “Busan Initiative” During the HLF-4

► Black Ginseng to be included in the Ginseng Management Act

► National Agricultural Quality Management Service to hold symposium on famous local food as part of the regionalization labeling

► MIFAFF sets up HACCP food chain from farm to table to secure safety in livestock products

► MIFAFF Minister to visit fishery processing plant in Busan