Korea Stops U.S. Beef Imports After USDA Withholds Information on Latest Mad Cow Case

From: <http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200604/kt2006040519470011910.htm>

Korea Times - South Korea

US Holds Infomation on Mad Cow Case

SEOUL (Yonhap) ? The United States has failed to provide the date of birth

of a cow linked to a third case of mad cow disease on its shores, a matter

that could jeopardize Seoul's resumption of American beef imports, the

government said Wednesday.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said Washington forwarded

information on the cow Friday but gave no conclusive evidence to indicate

its age.

``The data contained expert testimonies by veterinarians, but we cannot

determine for certain if the cow was born before April 1998,'' said Park

Hyun-chul, head of the ministry's livestock bureau.

The date is significant because if the animal was born after this date,

South Korea could halt all efforts to renew imports of American beef. The

date is when new measures to prevent mad cow disease went into full effect

in the United States.

In March, Washington confirmed the discovery of a third case of bovine

spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), better known as mad cow disease. Seoul

placed an import ban on American beef after the first BSE case was

discovered in 2003.

Park said Seoul has asked for additional information and could send South

Korean inspectors to directly check the evidence.

The official said that because of the lack of information, the exact date

for the resumption of American beef imports cannot currently be predicted.

The imports were originally expected to hit the market in early May.

``At this moment, we are not saying that we will not resume the imports of

American beef. But it remains hard to say exactly when the imports will

resume,'' a ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

Seoul and Washington agreed early this year to allow American beef back into

the country.

04-05-2006