Korea says U.S. concerned about GM food labelling
Date: 27-Dec-01
Country: SOUTH KOREA
As part of the system, Seoul requires paperwork to distinguish non-GM from GM foods. The USTR's officials said this was driving up costs for U.S. suppliers and exporters and offering a price advantage to non-GM suppliers, an official at the Korea Food and Drug Administration told Reuters.
USTR officials were not immediately available for comment. Korea has required labels on GM corn, soybeans and bean sprouts since March and on processed food containing these since July.
The United States is South Korea's biggest supplier of imported edible corn and soybeans. Seoul plans similar rules for potatoes beginning next March and the KFDA next month plans to crack down on suppliers or distributors not abiding by the rules on processed food labelling.
Seoul did not intend to change its approach despite the USTR's officials concerns, KFDA official told Reuters. "The government has no plan to revise the labelling system (because of the complaint) as it reflects the opinions of local civic groups," the official said.
Seoul requires Identity Preserve Control documentation proving corn, soybeans and bean sprouts to be sold as non-GM foods are free of all genetic modification. Korea's edible corn and soybeans imports between January and November were as follows (in tonnes):
CORN FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
Jan-Nov 2001 Jan-Nov 2000
TOTAL 2,020,136 1,898,150
US 807,321 1,369,920
Brazil 680,744 0
Argentina 248,909 46,850
China 220,165 469,691
EDIBLE SOYBEANS
Jan-Nov 2001 Jan-Nov 2000
TOTAL 203,541 292,669
US 162,129 250,785
China 41,190 37,417
Note: Data from Korea Trade Information Services (KOTIS)