South Korea

'광우병 파동' 18년 만에…美 소고기 관세 '제로 시대' 열렸다 [이광식의 한입물가]

Hankyung | Local Language | News | Jan. 8, 2026 | UndeterminedTrade Issues and Numbers

Eighteen years after the 2008 mad cow disease crisis, tariffs on U.S. beef have been completely abolished as of January 1, 2026. This follows a long process of gradual tariff reductions since the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) took effect in March 2012, where tariffs dropped annually from 37.3% to zero. U.S. beef, once the focus of widespread public protests and fears, now accounts for about 45.2% of Korea’s total imported beef market, helping to alleviate the increasing grocery price burden caused by a strong exchange rate.

Beef prices have been rising significantly; imported beef prices increased by 8% in December 2025, with further increases possible due to exchange rate volatility and reduced U.S. beef production. The won-dollar exchange rate surpassed 1,470 won in December 2025, reaching a peak not seen since 1997. Additionally, U.S. cattle slaughter numbers and beef production declined sharply in 2025, contributing to supply constraints. Officials anticipate it will take about two years for U.S. beef supply to stabilize.

Alongside beef, tariffs on 45 U.S. agricultural and livestock products have been abolished this year, including cheese, mandarins, root vegetables for feed, walnuts, peanuts, peppers, garlic, onions, green tea, and ginger. Some products are still subject to agricultural safeguard (ASG) measures until 2030, which permit temporary tariff re-imposition if import volumes surge unexpectedly. Australian beef tariffs remain in place but are scheduled for removal in 2028.

Yonhap | English | News | Jan. 8, 2026 | Epidemics and Pandemics

South Korea has confirmed a new case of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a quail farm in Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province. This brings the total number of bird flu cases reported this season to 33. The affected farm raises approximately 500,000 birds and is located about 160 kilometers south of Seoul.

In response, South Korean authorities have issued a 24-hour standstill order for all chicken and quail farms, related facilities, and vehicles in North Chungcheong Province and surrounding areas to contain the outbreak. This incident marks the first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Okcheon since December 2016.

AI 기본법 시행 임박…“현장 경험 반영한 제도 설계 필요해”

ET News | Local Language | News | Jan. 8, 2026 | Regulation

With the enforcement of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Basic Act set for January 22, 2026, stakeholders from public, private, and academic sectors convened to review regulations on transparency and accountability. There was broad agreement on the need to strengthen social responsibility as AI technology spreads, alongside a call to clarify standards to ensure predictable system operation in practical settings.

On January 6, a roundtable organized by Democratic Party member Hwang Jeong-a and AI policy platform company Codit focused on rationalizing and improving these regulations. Hwang emphasized South Korea’s unique position as the first country to implement an AI Basic Act and highlighted the importance of integrating field experiences from technology development and service operation into policymaking. He also called for balanced discussions around standards for high-impact AI and generative AI labeling obligations.

Industry representatives stressed the importance of detailed enforcement decrees and guidelines for successful implementation. Lim Jeong-wook, co-CEO of Startup Alliance, noted ongoing uncertainties about the regulatory scope and standards. While recognizing the significance of the government’s regulatory deferment, he emphasized using this period to test and improve the system, also urging alignment with international trends like those in the EU.

Choi Seong-jin, of the Startup Growth Research Institute, highlighted potential misalignment between the Act’s transparency and accountability requirements and technological realities, particularly regarding labeling generative AI outputs. He warned that broad application of obligations could create confusion and called for more detailed criteria for regulating high-impact AI. Song Hae-young, director at Codit’s Global Policy Empirical Research Center, stated that establishing AI transparency and accountability standards requires a deep understanding of both technology development and business environments, underscoring the collaborative nature of standard-setting to build trust in AI deployment.