June 7, 2007

USDA clears beef exports bound to South Korea

The US Department of Agriculture on Wednesday (June 6) said they have verified all US beef exports for South Korea has met Seoul's requirements which should resolve recent beef trade disputes.

South Korea earlier said it would withhold imports of US beef until Washington could verify that its recent pair of shipments of US beef to Korea containing banned bones was an isolated incident.

USDA Press Secretary Keith Williams said USDA has delivered to Korean officials a letter stating the agency has reviewed the records of all US beef shipments that have arrived in Korea and has verified that all but one met Seoul's requirements. The other shipment, he said, also appears to be eligible, but "we are still matching paperwork."

In the letter, USDA also requested Seoul to release US beef that it verified.