South Korean parliament to probe US beef deal

By JAE-SOON CHANG
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER


	South Korean doctors eat U.S. beef to demonstrate that U.S. beef is safe to consume during a sampling party at a local restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, July 9, 2008. South Korea's opposition party will end its boycott of the legislature over resumed U.S. beef imports, an official said Tuesday. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)

SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea's new parliament agreed Thursday to launch a probe into government negotiations with Washington on resumed American beef imports, as it convened for the first time following an opposition boycott over the beef dispute.

The planned inquiry is a blow to President Lee Myung-bak, whose leadership has been significantly undermined by a wave of protests against the beef deal for the past two months. The investigation comes as protests show signs of subsiding, and could rekindle heated public debate.

The probe was a key demand from the main opposition Democratic Party to end its boycott of the National Assembly, which had not convened since lawmakers started a four-year term on May 30.

But the ruling Grand National Party agreed earlier this week to accept a probe and parliament is to be formally opened Friday, when President Lee will address lawmakers.

The opposition has claimed that the beef deal, struck in April and amended last month, is flawed because it could expose the country to mad cow disease. The liberal party also has accused the pro-U.S. government of reaching the deal just hours before Lee's first summit with President George W. Bush in an effort to kowtow to Washington.

The presidential office is subject to the investigation, along with the Agriculture Ministry and Foreign Ministry. A special committee will lead the probe until Aug. 20, but it can be extended.

The new parliament also agreed to form five other special committees, including one that will deal with an opposition demand that the country's livestock epidemic prevention law be revised to strengthen precautions against mad cow disease.

South Korea was the third-largest overseas market for U.S. beef until it banned imports after a case of mad cow disease was detected in 2003, the first of three confirmed cases in the United States. Eating infected beef is linked to a rare but fatal brain disease.

U.S. beef went on sale early this month, but is still not widely available because large supermarket chains and restaurants are reluctant to sell or serve it due to the protests.

Add AP Asia headlines to