The United States exported $815 million worth of beef and beef products in 2003, according to USTR. South Korea partially reopened its market to deboned beef from cattle less than 30 months of age in January 2006, but this reopening was subject to several interruptions and the market had been effectively closed since October 2007.
‘With this full resumption of US beef exports to South Korea, a major obstacle to Congressional consideration of the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) is removed’, said Schwab, who also expressed the hope that the agreement will put pressure on Japan, Taiwan and China to follow suit.