VOA常速英语2008年-US, South Korea Remove Trade Obstacle With Beef

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
18 April 2008

South Korean officials have publicly announced details of a deal to resume imports of United States beef. South Korea cited health concerns when it banned U.S. beef five years ago. The issue has been a major source of friction¹ in the two allies' trade relationship, and could have threatened the passage of a sweeping² free trade deal. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul.

Just 24 hours before South Korean President Lee Myung-bak was scheduled to meet with President Bush at Camp David, South Korea said Friday it would relax import restrictions⁴ on U.S. beef.

Assistant South Korean Agriculture Minister Min Dong-seok announced details of the deal, reached after months of wrangling⁵ between both countries' trade negotiators.

He says the two sides agreed on sanitary⁶ conditions that permit the import of most beef parts - including those with bones - from U.S. cattle under 30 months old.

That is seen as a crucial first step in opening South Korea's beef market, which the government slammed shut in December 2003 after a single case of mad cow disease was discovered in the United States. South Korea began resuming imports of boneless U.S. beef last April, then re-imposed the complete ban after bones were found in several shipments.

South Korea has cited disease fears as the main reason for the restriction³. Media campaigns sponsored by South Korean beef producers have implied for years that U.S. beef is dangerous.

However, U.S. officials say U.S. beef is safe - an assertion effectively backed last year by the United Nations World Organization for Animal Health. U.S. beef producers have described the ban as a thinly-veiled form of protectionism, by a nation that was once the world's third largest importer of U.S. beef.

Friday's deal sets up a framework for the gradual but complete resumption of U.S. beef imports, from cattle of any age. U.S. lawmakers had warned Congress may reject a massive trade liberalization deal between the United States and South Korea if the beef issue is not resolved.

In a new release welcoming Friday's deal, the American Chamber⁷ of Commerce in Korea predicted the "U.S. agriculture industry and U.S. business community will now come out in full force" behind the free trade pact⁸. The deal lowers trade barriers on everything from automobiles⁹ to financial services, and is expected to fuel a roughly $20 billion increase in commerce between the two countries.

U.S. beef is expected to be on store shelves here in South Korea within one or two months.

1 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

2 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

3 restriction   

n.限制，约束

参考例句：

• The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放，没有任何限制。
• The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。

4 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

5 wrangling   

v.争吵，争论，口角( wrangle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The two sides have spent most of their time wrangling over procedural problems. 双方大部分时间都在围绕程序问题争论不休。 来自辞典例句
• The children were wrangling (with each other) over the new toy. 孩子为新玩具（互相）争吵。 来自辞典例句

6 sanitary   

adj.卫生方面的，卫生的，清洁的，卫生的

参考例句：

• It's not sanitary to let flies come near food.让苍蝇接近食物是不卫生的。
• The sanitary conditions in this restaurant are abominable.这家饭馆的卫生状况糟透了。

7 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

8 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

9 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》