March 18, 2025
SEOUL – The Trump administration is likely to put pressure on South Korea to further open its import market to US beef.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is said to have recently submitted an opinion letter on unfair trade practices by US trading partners to the Office of the US Trade Representative. In the letter, the US livestock lobby proposed that South Korea should start importing US beef regardless of what age the cattle were at the time of slaughter.
The association identified South Korea’s ban on importing US beef from cattle aged 30 months or older as an unfair trade practice. It pointed out that countries such as China, Japan and Taiwan have already removed similar restrictions and argued that Korea should follow suit.
The association urged the US government to engage in discussions with Korea to eliminate the age limit.
The USTR has published the National Trade Estimate report on significant foreign trade barriers each year since 1985. Its 2025 report due later this month is expected to be significant in establishing grounds for reciprocal tariffs Trump has vowed to impose.
The Trump administration said it would impose reciprocal tariffs for nontariff barriers. Considering this position, it is expected to lean on Seoul to further open its imports of US goods.
Restricting the cattle age for US beef is not a new notion. This issue was mentioned in the 2024 NTE report as one of the trade barriers between South Korea and the US, but the previous Joe Biden administration did not raise the issue formally.
The Trump administration is different. It seeks countermeasures on US trading partners for their nontariff barriers. South Korea’s restriction on cattle age could be a pretext for levying new tariffs.
When it comes to importing beef, cattle age at the time of slaughter is an explosive issue. It was the subject of massive protests against the Lee Myung-bak administration in 2008 over its decision to resume the import of US beef from cattle of all ages.
South Korea had suspended US beef imports after bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as “mad cow disease,” was identified in the US in 2003.
Startled by large-scale protests, the Lee administration renegotiated and agreed to import US beef only from cattle aged under 30 months, among which no case of the disease had been detected.
South Korea has become one of the two largest importers of US beef.
Korean cattle ranchers remain wary. In a statement, the Hanwoo Association said that scrapping the 30-month age restriction could lead to the spread of mad cow disease. They pointed out that the US has reported seven cases, the most recent being in May 2023. The association vowed to take actions if the government and National Assembly move to import US beef from cattle aged 30 months and over.
Opening the agricultural market of a country is directly linked not only to the livelihoods of farmers, but also to public health.
Food safety is a highly sensitive issue that cannot be easily conceded on.
When it comes to importing items directly related to people’s health, South Korea must err on the side of caution. Public concerns are still great over beef from cattle slaughtered at 30 months of age or older.
As seen in the rough time that Korea has had due to concerns over mad cow disease, pressure to import food that people feel uneasy about could even stoke anti-American sentiment.
Korea currently imports more beef from the US than anywhere else. Were the US to demand that Korea import US beef from cattle aged 30 months or older, it would appear to be excessive.
Importing US beef is a sensitive issue. It could invite strong backlash and lead to an acute division of public opinion. Disinformation about mad cow disease must not grow rampant again, but there should also be no place for rash negotiations.