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Seoul: South Korea effectively blocked all US beef imports from reaching store shelves yesterday after banned parts were found in a recent shipment, a move that could hinder the passage of a sweeping bilateral free trade pact.
The discovery of unauthorised animal parts in a July shipment, including spinal material, comes as the United States pushes for a full reopening of what once had been the third-largest overseas market for its beef.
Seoul ended a three-year ban last month on US beef that was prompted by a 2003 outbreak of mad cow disease in the United States, allowing in boneless US beef from cattle under 30 months old.
But South Korea announced yesterday it was stopping quarantine inspections of the US product, meaning beef sitting in warehouses would be prevented from reaching store shelves. It will now decide whether to ban American beef all together.
"South Korea will decide whether to ban US beef imports after seeing if Washington takes sufficient measures. We will ban it if the measures are not enough," Kim Chang-sub, an agriculture ministry official, said.
South Korea will stop all US beef imports and return shipments that are waiting for inspection if the country decides to ban the product. US beef can be shipped to the country but cannot be brought to market until Seoul lifts the suspension of the inspections.
Industry experts said it is unlikely any US beef packer would risk sending meat at this time because of these measures.
US lawmakers have said they may not approve a free trade deal, the biggest for Washington in some 15 years, if Seoul does not completely open its market to US beef.
The South Korean agriculture ministry said it found spinal material in a box of an 18.7-tonne shipment of US beef imported on July 29. The beef from a Cargill plant has been returned and Seoul has banned beef from that plant, Kim said.
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