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Sixty six tons of U.S. beef intended for sale in the U.S. were mislabeled as export material by American meat exporters and sent to Korea. The meat was returned to the U.S.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on Monday, two boxes of bone-in beef were discovered in 15.2 tons of beef shipped by U.S. exporter Cargill to Busan Port on May 25. The ministry asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to look into the shipment and another shipment of 51.2 tons of beef imported through Tyson Foods on May 26.
The U.S. informed the ministry that both shipments were intended for U.S. domestic consumption and had not been processed for export to Korea, the ministry said. The ministry sent back the beef. Under the agreement between the U.S. and Korea, only boneless meat from cattle younger than 30 months can be imported.
Of the 227 tons of U.S. beef that have arrived in Korea, the ministry halted the sale of three tons that had passed inspection and were just about to be released on the market, and put on hold a quarantine of 152.7 tons until it has been confirmed as processed for Korea.
The ministry asked Washington to explain how export quarantine certificates were issued for the beef and to step up its efforts to ensure safe beef exports. Imports from Cargill and Tyson Foods have been suspended until such measures are taken.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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