Bowing to Protests, S. Korea Imposes New Conditions on US Beef Imports

韩国对进口美国牛肉施行新限制

　



South Korea is seeking to ease some domestic irritation, with a move that could complicate American-Korean trade relations. Seoul is amending its promise to resume U.S. beef imports by imposing new trade conditions aimed at placating political critics of the South Korean president.

　

韩国试图缓解一些韩国民众的愤怒情绪，新举措可能导致美韩贸易关系复杂化。首尔政府正在修正先前做出的恢复进口美国牛肉的承诺，为美国牛肉进口制定了新的贸易条件，希望以此化解韩国总统在政治上受到的批评。

In what he described as a "humble acceptance of the people's will," South Korean Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-chun announced a new set of limitations on plans to import U.S. beef.

　

韩国农业部长郑云天宣布了对进口美国牛肉计划实行的新限制，他把这一宣布形容为是“谦恭地接受民众的意愿”。

He says South Korea has requested the American government stop exporting cattle aged 30 months or older, about which South Korean consumers have expressed the most anxiety. He says his ministry will postpone scheduled quarantine inspections of American beef until the United States responds to the request.

　

他说，韩国要求美国政府停止出口年龄超过30个月的牛的牛肉，韩国消费者对这种牛肉表达了最多的担心。他说，韩国农业部经推迟已定的对美国牛肉实行检疫的日程，直到美国方面对韩国的要求做出回应。

The move is a reaction to street protests which began weeks ago, opposing American beef imports. The demonstrations have evolved into much broader, grassroots criticism of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's leadership style.

　

韩国当局的行动是对几个星期来街头示威者抗议美国牛肉进口的回应。更加广泛的来自民间的批评加入了抗议声浪，抨击李明博总统的领导层。

Two months after his February inauguration, Mr. Lee arranged a deal to fully resume imports of virtually all cuts of U.S. beef. The imports were banned in 2003, after an American animal was found to have the fatal brain condition known as "mad cow disease." It is theoretically possible for humans to contract a version of the disease by eating tainted meat.

　

李明博二月份宣誓就职。两个月后，他达成了全面恢复进口美国牛肉的协议，批准几乎所有部位的美国牛肉都可以进口韩国。在美国2003年发现一头牛患上致命的疯牛病后，韩国曾经禁止进口美国牛肉。从理论上讲，人类食用感染上疯牛病的牛肉有可能感染类似的脑部致命疾病。

Mr. Lee's import resumption deal, clinched during an April summit with President Bush, fulfilled a promise made more than a year earlier by Mr. Lee's predecessor. It also followed a ruling by a United Nations organization, backing Washington's assertion that U.S. beef is safe.

　

李明博恢复美国牛肉进口的协议是在他四月份跟布什总统举行高峰会晤期间达成的，从而兑现了他的前任在那一年多前做出的有关承诺。在李明博签署牛肉进口的协议之前，联合国的一个组织做出裁决，支持华盛顿称美国牛肉是安全的断言。

Nonetheless, many South Koreans saw President Lee's decision to resume the imports as too sudden, too wide-ranging - and too dismissive of public sentiment.

　

很多韩国人把李明博总统恢复美国牛肉进口的决定看成是过于仓促、范围过于宽泛、过于忽视民众的情绪。

Protests that began as quiet candlelight vigils, last month, have gradually grown louder and more violent. Tens of thousands of protesters have gathered almost nightly in downtown Seoul, blocking major traffic arteries and leading to hundreds of arrests.

　

韩国民众的抗议上个月以平静的烛光守夜的形式开始，随后逐步演变成声浪日益高涨和暴力示威。成千上万的示威者几乎每一个夜晚都聚集在首尔市中心，堵塞主要交通要道，并导致数百人被捕。

Although protesters are unable to cite a single confirmed case of a human contracting brain disease from consuming U.S. beef, their gatherings have served as a magnet for groups with a host of grievances against the South Korean president.

　

虽然抗议者无法提出一个被证实的，由于食用美国牛肉而感染疯牛病的病例，但是一些对韩国总统怀有许多不满的组织利用抗议集会汇集在一起。

American officials have repeatedly refused to re-negotiate U.S. beef imports and are unlikely to agree to Seoul's new beef import conditions. Analysts warn the escalating beef dispute could endanger ratification of the major trade deal the two countries, signed last year.

　

美国官员反复拒绝就美国牛肉进口重开谈判，并且不大可能同意韩国为牛肉进口新制定的卫生条件。分析人士警告说，不断升级的牛肉争端有可能危及美韩两国去年签署的一项主要贸易协议获得批准。