June 06,2006

Grassley on Reports of Korean Delay of Resumed U.S. Beef Imports

M E M O R A N D U M

To: Reporters and Editors
Re: Media reports on Korea, U.S. beef imports
Da: Tuesday, June 6, 2006

Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today made the following
statement in reaction to media reports that Korea is considering postponing the resumption of U.S.
beef imports. Korea earlier indicated that it planned to reopen its market this week to the importation
of boneless U.S. beef from cattle aged 30 months and under. Korea banned imports of U.S. beef in
December 2003 following the detection of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a cow in
Washington state.

“I urge Korea to base its beef import policies on science and to move forward with its plans
to resume imports of U.S. beef this week. U.S. beef is safe. Millions of Americans eat it every day.
There’s no reason Korean consumers should continue to be denied access to U.S. beef. Also, further
delays to re-open the Korean market to U.S. beef could complicate negotiations of a U.S.-Korea Free
Trade Agreement. I can’t see the Congress passing implementing legislation for a trade agreement
with a country that’s shutting out a perfectly safe U.S. product.”