US-South Korea Beef Agreement Reached

by Jordan Yerman | June 21, 2008 at 09:16 am

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An agreement has been reached between the USA and South Korea regarding beef exports. Beef from cattle more than 2 1/2 years old will not be shipped to South Korea.The onus will be on US exporters to verify the age of the meat.

South Korean President Lee Myung Bak's administration said it won an agreement with the U.S. to assure the safety of beef imports, part of an effort to quell public concern that sparked a political crisis.

Both sides say the deal was reached during talks in Washington between top South Korean and US trade officials.

South Korea used to be a major market for US beef, but suspended imports in 2003 after a case of "mad cow disease" was identified there.

Seoul's decision in April to end the suspension sparked a wave of protests.

Speaking in Seoul on Saturday, Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-chun said the two sides had agreed "that beef from US cattle more than 30 months old should not be exported to South Korea until consumer confidence is restored".

The deal was later confirmed by US Trade Representative Susan Schwab, who held talks with South Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon this week.

The two countries will now introduce an age verification system.