Kansas senator Pat Roberts has announced that South Korea's government has agreed to fully re-open its markets to
all U.S. beef and beef products.

Roberts hailed the news, "Finally, after nearly five years, the South Koreans have decided to allow our beef, which we have
always known was the safest in the world, back into their markets. This is great news for cattle country. This makes it easier for farm state Senators to support a free trade agreement with South Korea."

Roberts is a member of the Finance Committee and a senior member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture Nutrition and
Forestry. The beef industry is one of the largest industries in the state, representing more than $6.25 billion in annual
revenue. The Finance Committee has jurisdiction over all trade agreements.

Roberts has been an advocate for adherence to internationally recognized scientific standards, and the need for
agreement on commercially viable import protocol. He had said continued delays on the part of Korea were a barrier to trade. 

* August 4, 2006: Senator Roberts joins Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), then Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and a bipartisan group of 31 farm state Senators in sending a letter to President Roh Moo-hyun of the Republic of Korea requesting his personal attention in resolving the prolonged embargo Korea maintained on American beef prior to further advancements of free trade talks.

* November 30, 2006: Senator Roberts sent a letter to the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Lee Tae-sik, asking for immediate resumption of beef trade based on sound science in accordance with international standards.

* December 14, 2006: Senator Roberts joined a bipartisan group of senators in sending a letter to U.S. trade officials urging them to suspend all negotiations on free trade agreements with South Korea unless it opens its markets to U.S. beef, and both countries agree on reasonable and fair bone tolerance levels for future shipments.

* January 17, 2007: Senator Roberts said Korea must open markets to U.S. beef or jeopardize future trade opportunities with the United States at a Senate Finance Committee meeting with Ambassador Lee Tae-sik of the Republic of Korea.

* February, 2007: Senator Roberts sends follow-up letter to Ambassador Lee Tae-sik following the finance Committee meeting.

Roberts says he continues to look for opportunities for full U.S. beef trade in international markets, especially in China, Taiwan, and Japan.