Cow disease outbreak: S/Korea strengthens inspection on U.S. beef imports

By Ummul Idris

South Korea on Monday began strengthening quarantine inspection on U.S. beef imports after the outbreak of a mad cow disease in the United States.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it decided to increase the proportion of sampling inspections on imported U.S. beef from three per cent to 10 per cent beginning Monday as a preliminary measure.

It followed the confirmation of an atypical case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) at a slaughterhouse in South Carolina.

The ministry asked the U.S. government to provide epidemiological information on the atypical BSE outbreak.

It noted that it will take additional measures, if necessary, after reviewing the U.S. epidemiological probe and having meetings with relevant agencies and experts.

There has been no case of the atypical BSE that led to human infection, according to the ministry. (Xinhua/NAN)