S. Korea to allow restart of US beef imports tomorrow

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-25  |     ONLINE EDITION

SOUTH Korea will allow the resumption of US beef imports starting tomorrow, the farm ministry said, implementing an unpopular deal that sparked street protests and caused a crisis for the government.

Analysts expect South Korea to proceed with caution in resuming imports because any misstep by President Lee Myung-bak could lead to a sharp backlash and further delay his pro-business economic reforms for Asia's fourth-largest economy.

South Korea and the United States at the weekend said they had reached a private-sector deal to restrict trade in US beef to cattle under 30 months old and to forbid exports of parts that are thought to pose a higher risk of mad cow disease.

Once the legal notice for the resumption is published tomorrow, some 5,300 tonnes of US beef that has been in frozen storage in South Korea for months could be inspected and then quickly head to stores.

But government officials said today they do not expect importers to immediately request quarantine checks.

"(I) asked for the publication of the legal notice," farm minister Chung Woon-chun said in a statement, adding Seoul "will send back shipments that do not meet the agreed criteria."

South Korea, which blocked imports of US beef in 2003 after an outbreak of mad cow disease, had briefly allowed in boneless meat from cattle under 30 months old last year but suspended imports after prohibited material was found in shipments.

The new deal will allow in beef containing bones and other parts of cattle deemed of lower mad cow risk than brain and spinal material.

South Korean officials said the reworked pact would increase safety checks on US beef, but hours after it was announced last Saturday, a violent rally erupted in Seoul with protesters smashing police buses blocking the way to the presidential Blue House.