August 2, 2007

South Korea finds prohibited animal parts in US beef 

South Korean inspectors have again discovered banned bones of Seoul-bound US beef, according to US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns on Wednesday (August 1).

Johanns said Seoul found a vertebral column in a box of recently shipped US beef.  The vertebral column derived from an animal younger than 30 months of age should be removed, he noted.

Though it remains unclear whether South Korea has already suspended imports from unnamed US exporter, Johanns expressed hope that Seoul would still continue accepting US beef. Out of some 600,000 boxes of US beef sent to Korea since it resumed imports in April, only six have contained unauthorised material, he said.

He added that going to the OIE or the World Organization for Animal Health would entirely resolve the matter. OIE has earlier categorised the US as a "controlled risk" for mad cow disease and Washington has since pressuring Seoul to further open its markets for cows older than 30 months.