South Korea’s Beef Ban: Is a Trade Deal on the Horizon?

South Korea may lift its ban on US beef from cattle over 30 months old, potentially using this move as a bargaining chip to defuse looming reciprocal tariffs from Washington, sources reported on Tuesday.

As trade talks with the US stall over a 25 percent tariff set to take effect August 1, Korea appears increasingly willing to ease this non-tariff barrier.

\”We’re facing intense pressure to eliminate the age limit on US beef, and it’s becoming harder to maintain our stance,\” a government official stated, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Last week, President Donald Trump sent a strongly worded letter to Korean President Lee Jae Myung, asserting that tariffs were necessary \”to correct the many years of Korea’s Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers.\” Trump pressed for significant progress on trade grievances.

The beef age rule is among key non-tariff barriers the US has pushed to eliminate, alongside restrictions on rice imports and high-resolution mapping data exports. Washington views the restriction as an outdated trade barrier that unnecessarily burdens American exporters.

In 2008, Korea and the US agreed to limit imports to beef from cattle under 30 months old, aiming to alleviate public fears over bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease.

Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, who recently spent six days in Washington for tariff talks, hinted that agricultural concessions could be on the table. He stated that Korea had entered \”a period of decisions and strategic choices.\”

\”While there are areas we must protect,\” Yeo said at a Monday press conference, \”there are also areas where we can be flexible.\” He emphasized the need for strategic judgment on agricultural issues, adding, \”We must safeguard sensitive sectors while considering the broader framework of the negotiations.\”

Despite these considerations, US beef remains a contentious issue, with domestic farmers warning of potential market disruption.

The Hanwoo Association, a nonprofit representing Korea’s beef industry, sharply criticized the government for potentially easing the ban, calling it a betrayal of local cattle farmers.

\”While other industries have thrived at the expense of the agricultural sector, farming and livestock have continued to decline,\” the association stated Tuesday. \”The hanwoo industry has suffered the most, yet what has the government done to address this?\”

The group highlighted that Korea imported 221,629 tons of US beef last year, nearly half of the country’s total beef imports of 461,027 tons. They argued, \”With tariffs set to drop to zero next year, American beef will become even more price-competitive and capture a larger market share.\”