U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

April 3, 2007

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director
303-455-5999


  Sen. Salazar: Free Trade with Korea Must Include Open Access to Korean Beef Markets for U.S. Ranchers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Senator Ken Salazar today released the following statement regarding the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA):

“Free trade is about full and open access to all markets. Any free trade agreement between the U.S. and Korea must include access to Korean markets for U.S. ranchers.

"I am extremely disappointed the Korean government has refused to lift its ban on U.S. beef imports as part of negotiations over the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. American beef is the safest in the world and international standards consistently affirm this fact. Yet Korea has persistently refused to open its markets to US beef, despite these facts and repeated promises to do so.

“I have repeatedly stated that it would be difficult for me to support this FTA until and unless Korea resumes full importation of U.S. beef. Until the Korean beef market is fully opened to U.S. ranchers, I cannot support the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. I look forward to examining this and other issues related to the agreement as the Senate Finance Committee considers trade legislation in the coming months.”

Sen. Salazar’s statement reiterates his bipartisan concerns expressed earlier this year to the Honorable Lee Tae-sik, Korean Ambassador to the U.S.

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