SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea agreed to resume U.S. beef imports that had been halted over concerns of mad cow disease, resolving a key dispute between the two countries Friday just hours before their leaders were to meet. South Korea suspended U.S. beef imports in 2003 after mad cow disease was discovered in the U.S, cutting off what was then the third-largest market for American beef. Restricted imports resumed last April, but have been on hold since October when a shipment contained animal parts that have been banned over mad cow concerns. The beef issue had been a key dispute between the allies, and had threatened prospects of approval for a wider free-trade agreement _ one of the key agenda items at a summit Friday in Washington between South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and President Bush. South Korea's Agriculture Ministry said Friday that Seoul would allow American beef imports from cattle younger than 30 months, including cuts with bones. Younger cows are believed to be less at risk for mad cow disease. Beef from older cattle will also be cleared for imports after the U.S. strengthens controls on feed to reduce chances of infection, the ministry said. Revived imports were expected to begin in mid-May, and expand in stages. Scientists believe mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, spreads when farmers feed cattle recycled meat and bones from infected animals. Eating meat from infected animals is also believed to be linked to the rare but fatal brain-wasting human variant, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
© 2008 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|
