SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean ruling party lawmakers left Monday for the United States to seek assurances that it will not export beef from older cattle, in hopes of calming a domestic political crisis generated by fears of mad cow disease.
The trip to Washington comes amid South Korean media reports that President Lee Myung-bak's Cabinet could resign Tuesday because of the dispute over American beef imports and the massive, sometimes violent rallies it has spawned in Seoul.
The four Grand National Party legislators and one party official will urge the U.S. to promise in writing that it will not export beef from cattle aged 30 months or older, said party spokesman Hwang Cheon-mo.
Older cows are considered at greater risk of mad cow disease, a brain-wasting cattle sickness. South Korea has asked Washington to refrain from exporting meat from older cattle despite an April agreement that allows it.
Seoul's presidential office said Saturday that President George W. Bush pledged in a phone conversation with his South Korean counterpart that he would work out measures banning the export of the older cattle.
The White House meanwhile said Bush assured Lee that Washington was ready to back U.S. beef exporters as they tried to reach a solution with South Korean importers. It did not comment on South Korea's statement on the older cattle.
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