US and South Korea to hold talks on beef imports

A US trade delegation will visit South Korea this week for talks over Seoul's ban on American beef imports, the agriculture ministry said Sunday.
It will be the second beef talks between the two countries since South Korea suspended US beef imports in early December after a US cow tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy or mad cow disease.
In previous talks last month, US officials explained safety measures against mad cow disease, while South Korea demanded the United States take thorough quarantine measures and clarify infection routes for the disease.
According to a US government tally, South Korea bought 200,000 tonnes of US beef between January and November last year, making it the third-largest US beef export destination after Japan and Mexico.