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SEOUL - South Korea's president apologised Thursday for failing to ease "mad cow" fears over US beef imports, but urged legislators quickly to pass a broader free trade pact with Washington.
"The government has not made enough effort to seek understanding and listen to public opinion (about the resumption of the beef imports)," Lee Myung-Bak said in a nationally televised statement.
"I express regret before the people."
Opposition lawmakers are refusing to ratify a sweeping free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States unless Lee renegotiates a separate deal opening the Korean market to American beef.
They claim the government has not secured adequate safeguards against the dangers posed by the human form of mad cow disease. Thousands of protesters, often motivated by rumours on the Internet or mobile text messages, have staged street rallies in recent weeks against the resumption of the imports.
Lee called on the opposition-dominated National Assembly to "overcome partisan interests" and cooperate in passing the FTA before lawmakers end their current session on Friday.
This would be "a major achievement in our political history," he said.
A new parliament dominated by Lee's conservative party takes over in June, but procedural reasons mean it could take months to pass the trade pact.
Seoul wants to act quickly to put moral pressure on the US Congress, which must also ratify the deal.
Lee's government sees the FTA as crucial in putting the Korean economy on a more competitive long-term path.
"From now on, the government will be more humble in approaching the people," said Lee, who was nicknamed "The Bulldozer" for his forceful style when he was a business executive.
"The shortfalls that have appeared so far in the beginning of this administration are all my fault."
He reiterated promises to halt US beef imports immediately should there be any threat to public health.
The US says its beef is totally safe and refuses to approve the FTA until the beef market reopens.
Sohn Hak-Kyu, head of the main opposition United Democratic Party, met Lee Tuesday but refused to support the FTA unless the beef deal is renegotiated. He urged the president to apologise for the controversy.
Total trade between South Korea and the US is worth an annual 80 billion dollars. Some studies show this could eventually rise by up to 20 billion dollars under a free trade regime.
- AFP /ls
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