미국측 쇠고기 서한 원문

미국측 쇠고기 서한 영문 전문

The Honorable Jong Hoon Kim Minister for Trade Seoul, Republic of Korea The Honorable Woon Chun Chung Minister for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Gwacheon, Republic of Korea Dear Minister Kim and Minister Chung: In light of the ongoing public discussion in Korea, we welcome the voluntary commitments made by Korean importers and U.S. exporters to trade only U.S. beef from cattle less than 30 months of age. This private-sector initiative will serve as a transitional measure until Korean consumer confidence in U.S. beef improves. To support these voluntary commitments, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is establishing the "Less than 30 Month Age-Verification Quality System Assessment (QSA) Program for Korea" administered by the U.S. government under the Agricultural Marketing Act. This program will be operationally identical to the quality system requirements in place for all USDA Export Verification (EV) Programs. (See attachment.) This program will verify that all beef shipped to Korea under this program is from cattle less than 30 months of age. We understand that in order to support this private sector initiative, if Korean government inspection officials were to find any beef shipped to Korea during the transition period that is from cattle 30 months of age or over, they would return the relevant beef or beef products to their owner. The governments of the United States and Korea agree that brains, eyes, skull, and spinal cord from cattle less than 30 months of age are not specified risk materials under World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) guidelines or food-safety hazards. Importers and exporters in our two countries have nonetheless indicated that those items have not been traded in the past, and, until there is market demand in Korea for such products, our expectation is that such commercial practice will continue. When auditing a representative sample of the meat establishments that export beef or beef products to Korea, as provided for in Article 8 of the Import Health Requirements, Korea’s auditors have the right to focus on certain plants, such as those that are newly listed, had been previously delisted, or whose products have raised concerns during port of entry inspection. Accordingly, the concept of representative sampling does not prevent Korean officials from including in an audit a specific plant that they deem necessary to audit. If as a result of an audit, Korean auditors find what they believe is a serious non-compliance with these Requirements, the Korean auditors will immediately consult with FSIS personnel regarding appropriate corrective action. If these technical level discussions do not resolve the matter, the two governments will consult at a senior level. If the two governments cannot agree with respect to appropriate corrective action within four weeks, Korea may increase the rate of inspection of subsequent beef and beef products from that establishment over the next five shipments notwithstanding the fact that no food-safety hazards have been detected during import quarantine inspection of the products of that establishment. As provided for in Article 24 of the Import Health Requirements, if two or more food safety hazards are detected, both during this period of increased inspection or generally under Article 24, Korea may request FSIS to suspend the relevant establishment. Upon receiving the request, FSIS will suspend the establishment. Korea may also re-audit that facility in its next system audit. We also welcome the Korean government’s publication of the Import Health Requirements for U.S. Beef and Beef Products in its government gazette. As was recently reconfirmed by Korean beef importers, U.S. beef is safe, and it is consumed by Americans every day. We look forward to the rebuilding of Korean consumer confidence in the safety and quality of U.S. beef. Sincerely, Susan C. Schwab Edward Schafer United States Trade Representative Secretary of Agriculture     쇠고기 수입위생조건 추가고시 부칙(영문) 전문 Addendum 7. Notwithstanding Addendum 2, in order to support a transitional private sector initiative, beef and beef products produced only by establishments participating in the USDA Less than 30 Month Age-Verification Quality System Assessment (QSA) Program will be allowed to enter Korea, until Korean consumer confidence in U.S. beef improves. During this transition period, if the Korean government finds that any beef from cattle of 30 months of age and over has been shipped to Korea, the relevant beef or beef products will be returned to its owner. 8. Brain, eyes, skull, or spinal cord from cattle less than 30 months of age are not SRMs or food-safety hazards. Nevertheless, as long as Korean importers do not place orders for these products, if these items are detected during the quarantine inspection process in Korea, the Korean government may return the relevant box or boxes to its owner. 9. For greater certainty, in interpreting Article 8, on-site audits of a "representative sample" do not prevent the Korean government from including in an audit a specific plant that it deems necessary to audit. If as a result of an audit, Korean auditors find what they believe is a serious non-compliance with these Requirements, the Korean auditors will immediately consult with FSIS personnel regarding appropriate corrective action. If these technical level discussions do not resolve the matter, the two governments will consult at a senior level. If the two governments cannot agree with respect to appropriate corrective action within four weeks, Korea may increase the rate of inspection of subsequent beef and beef products from that establishment over the next five shipments notwithstanding the fact that no food-safety hazards have been detected during import quarantine inspection of the products of that establishment. For greater certainty, in interpreting Article 24, if two or more food safety hazards are detected, during this period of increased inspection or generally, Korea may request FSIS to suspend the relevant establishment. Upon receiving the request, FSIS shall suspend the establishment. Korea may also re-audit that facility in its next system audit.