The U.S. beef industry Friday asked the Bush administration to introduce an age verification system for U.S. beef to be exported to South Korea as an interim measure to allay South Koreans' concerns over mad cow disease.
The move by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), representing companies that process 95 percent of red meat in the U.S., comes after a similar request by South Korean beef importers Friday that the U.S. government take measures to ensure no shipments of beef from cattle older than 30 months.
South Korea has been shaken by protests over the controversial beef deal since early May, amid public concerns over mad cow disease.
Lee's approval ratings plummeted below 20 percent after the beef row erupted. He won the December presidential election by the largest margin ever thanks to his campaign pledges to revive the faltering South Korean economy.