April 20, 2007

US beef imports to enter South Korea next week

US beef imports will have its first entry in South Korea since its ban in 2003 on Monday (April 23), according to the South Korean agriculture ministry. 

Recent shipments were rejected by South Korean officials due to bone chips found on the batches.

The cargo of 10 tonnes of chilled beef will be checked by quarantine officials.

Seoul will readily reject only those packages containing bone chips, not the entire shipment as what South Korea had proposed during high-level agricultural talks in February, according to the officials.

Previously US' third largest beef market, South Korea partially opened in September its market to US beef from cattle less than 30 months old, under the condition that deemed risky parts, such as bones, were not included.

But tough inspections has again South Korea rejected all shipments of 22 tonnes US beef due to tiny bone chips.

The rejection infuriated Washington and US cattle producers to push Seoul to open its beef market.