U.S. beef busted Seoul's ban for two years

SEOUL, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- South Korea imported U.S. beef worth about $99.2 million in the last two years, despite an official ban on such imports.

The Korea Customs Service said Monday the distribution of U.S. beef was possible because beef exporters were allowed to choose the timing of customs-clearing within a 2-year-period from initial packaging, the Korea Times reported.

"For example, U.S. beef ice-packed and quarantined before Dec. 24, 2003, could be distributed in 2005," said an official.

The result was that U.S. beef accounted for 17.53 percent of South Korea's total imported beef in 2004.

Very few South Koreans were aware that they were eating U.S. beef, officials said.