May 1, 2012

In order to take a closer look into the latest outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), more commonly known as the mad cow disease, the South Korean government will be sending an investigation team to the US.

The government is hinting at taking strong measures, including a possible suspension of US beef imports, if the Korean delegation reports results that diverge from the latest report submitted by the US.

A nine-person delegation consisting of academics, consumer groups, and government officials involved in the quarantine procedures will leave for the US on Monday to further investigate the issue, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (MIFAFF) disclosed Sunday (Apr 29).

The delegation will pay a visit to the USDA, animal feed plants, and slaughterhouses to review the circumstances behind the BSE outbreak and corroborate the recent US report on the disease.

"The delegation will take a closer look at local conditions to verify the US report. If there are any errors in the report, we will consider an immediate suspension of quarantines and imports of US beef products," said a MIFAFF official.