South Korea has decided to return 66.4 tons of U.S. beef that failed to meet the export verification standards on beef agreed upon between the two countries, while suspending quarantine check, the government said Monday.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said that the controversial beef was processed for the U.S. market but not for export. South Korea will ban further imports of beef from Tyson Foods Inc. and Cargill, Incorp., which shipped the wrong meat, said the ministry.
"The U.S. notified our country of its findings over the weekend," Kim Chang-seob, chief veterinary officer of the ministry, said. He added that his government strongly called on the U.S. to tighten its oversight of meat exports.
One of the two shipments to be sent back includes two boxes full of chuck short ribs that were found by quarantine inspectors on May 30.
Cargill brought in 15.2 tons of beef in Busan on May 25 and Tyson Foods 51.2 tons the following day at the same port.
The ministry said it is in the process of asking the United States to provide more information on how the export of the two shipments was permitted.
Under a January 2006 deal, South Korea agreed to import boneless U.S. beef from cattle under 30 months old. It still bans imports of bone-in beef like ribs. The two sides are to hold talks on changing the import guidelines, but Seoul has said the existing rules will be enforced before new standards are introduced.