April 18, 2008

South Korea agrees to resume US beef imports

South Korea has agreed to resume US beef imports, said Kim Hyeon-soo, a spokesman for the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

The US and South Korea agreed on the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) rules for US beef and are finalising details, said the official.

This agreement would clear a major hurdle to congressional approval of the trade deal, the biggest since the North American Free Trade Agreement has been implemented in 1994.

The new SPS rules is expected to replace the SPS standards that are currently in place.

At present, South Korea only allows beef from cattle younger than 30 months.