South Korea agrees on resumption of US beef imports

south korea flagSeoul - South Korea agreed Friday to ease restrictions for US beef imports imposed because of the risk of mad-cow disease, thus removing one obstacle for the ratification of a free trade pact between the two countries.

The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Seoul said that beef imports from the United States were expected to be resumed in mid-May.

Last year, South Korea lifted an import ban imposed in December 2003 after the US reported its first outbreak of mad-cow disease. US beef made up more than two-thirds of South Korea's beef imports before the embargo.

But imports were put on hold again in October when a shipment contained animal parts that had been banned under tightened safety rules.

The agreement on the resumption of US beef imports, reached between officals at negotiations in Seoul, came just hours before South Korean President Lee Myung Bak and US President George W Bush were to meet at the Camp David presidential retreat. The signed but not-yet-ratified free trade agreement (FTA) is expected to be a major topic.

Some US lawmakers repeatedly have threatened to reject the FTA that was concluded early last year with Seoul, unless South Korea fully opens its market to American beef.

The trade pact is the largest for the US since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed in 1994.

South Korea's agriculture ministry said it has decided to allow imports of US beef with bones from cattle less than 30 months old. Younger cows are believed to be less at risk for the disease.

The ministry also said that Seoul would completely lift its age limit on imported beef in accordance with the standards of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), after the US applies stricter rules on the use of animal feed.

Since May 2007, the US has been classified as a "controlled risk nation" with regard to mad-cow disease.

This classification technically allows US meat exporters to export beef with almost no restrictions. (dpa)

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