S.Korea delays U.S. beef imports

SEOUL, March 17 (UPI) -- South Korea will delay U.S. beef imports until early May because of the latest case of mad cow disease in the United States, a government official said Friday.

"U.S. beef was originally expected to arrive here in mid-April, but this will be delayed to early May at the earliest," said Kim Chang-seob, the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry's chief veterinary officer.

The decision comes after the U.S. Department of Agriculture Monday confirmed the discovery of the mad cow case, saying the infected animal was destroyed.

The ministry is waiting for U.S.'s formal information about the age of the dead cow, Kim said, noting it will take at least two weeks to check the safety conditions of American beef.

However, the ministry said it would comply with its earlier promise to resume imports of meat from young American cattle widely believed to be safe from the disease, he said.

South Korea, previously the No. 3 export market for U.S. beef, has a ban on American beef imports imposed at the end of 2003 after a case of mad cow disease in the country.

But in the face of U.S. pressure, South Korea agreed in late January to resume imports of American beef. The United States had been pressuring Seoul to resume importing its beef as concern grows that it may lose its major importer.