WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today announced that South Korea’s government has agreed to fully re-open their markets to all U.S. beef and beef products.

Senator Roberts hailed the news, "Finally, after nearly five years, the South Koreans have decided to allow our beef, which we have always known was the safest in the world, back into their markets. This is great news for cattle country. This makes it easier for farm state Senators to support a free trade agreement with South Korea."

Senator Roberts is a member of the Finance Committee and a senior member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture Nutrition and Forestry. From his position on both Committees, Roberts offers unique leadership for Kansas, where the beef industry is one of the largest industries in the state– representing over $6.25 billion in annual revenue. The Finance Committee has jurisdiction over all trade agreements.

Senator Roberts has been an outspoken advocate for adherence to internationally recognized scientific standards and the need for agreement on commercially viable import protocol. He had said continued delays on the part of Korea were a barrier to trade.

The following is a timeline of key Roberts efforts to encourage the South Korean government to re-open their markets:

• August 4, 2006: Senator Roberts joins Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), then Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and a bipartisan group of 31 farm state Senators in sending a letter to President Roh Moo-hyun of the Republic of Korea requesting his personal attention in resolving the prolonged embargo Korea maintained on American beef prior to further advancements of free trade talks.
• November 30, 2006: Senator Roberts sent a letter to the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Lee Tae-sik, asking for immediate resumption of beef trade based on sound science in accordance with international standards.
• December 14, 2006: Senator Roberts joined a bipartisan group of Senators in sending a letter to U.S. trade officials urging them to suspend all negotiations on free trade agreements with South Korea unless they open their markets to U.S. beef and both countries agree on reasonable and fair bone tolerance levels for future shipments.
• January 17, 2007: Senator Roberts said Korea must open markets to U.S. beef or jeopardize future trade opportunities with the United States at a Senate Finance Committee meeting with Ambassador Lee Tae-sik of the Republic of Korea.
• February, 2007: Senator Roberts sends follow-up letter to Ambassador Lee Tae-sik following the finance Committee meeting.

Senator Roberts continues to look for opportunities for full U.S. beef trade in international markets, especially in China, Taiwan and Japan.

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