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After revelations that freshwater fish imported from China was tainted with the carcinogenic dye malachite green and Chinese-produced kimchi contained parasites and unusually high levels of lead, Beijing appears to be getting ready to avenge its tainted honor. "Inspections have shown that Korean products contain malachite green as well, but the Korean government without notifying the Chinese government, and without a seeking consensus on the issue, simply made an announcement in the press as if Chinese products were the only products with such problems," a Chinese government official said. "If there is a repeat of these or similar gestures by the Korean government, we will have no choice but to take appropriate measures ourselves.¡±
Not so, says an informed Korean official. When the parasites were found in kimchi imports last Friday, the Chinese government was informed ahead of the announcement, but it merely asked Seoul to keep a lid on the story until it had finished its own internal investigation of the products.
Korea demurred, saying food safety went directly to the health of the people and to delay making the find public was unconscionable. In response, China¡¯s General Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine sent a message to the Korean embassy warning that Beijing could be ¡°forced¡± to take similar steps against Korean cosmetics.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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