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South Korea's food ministry said Wednesday it is looking into the details of the latest case of mad cow disease found in the United States and will soon take" necessary measures."
The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries denied reports that the government is planning to immediately suspend quarantine inspections, which would practically halt U.S. beef imports.
Two local retailers here temporarily suspended sales of American beef, citing consumer fears.
U.S. authorities have said the new case of mad cow disease, the first one in six years, poses"no risk to the food supply or to human health."
Mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), is a highly sensitive political issue for South Koreans, who took to the streets in 2008 to protest the government's decision to lift its ban on U.S. beef imports.
The move sparked fears of mad cow disease and evolved into months of anti-government protests involving tens of thousands of people.
South Korea currently imports beef from cattle less than 30 months old with the removal of specified risk materials (SRMs), known to transmit mad cow disease. |
