South Korea blocks US beef imports on recovery of bone

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SEOUL (South Korea) (AP): South Korea suspended U.S. beef imports today after inspectors reportedly found a recent shipment contained bone that is banned due to concerns over mad cow disease.
The Agriculture Ministry said two vertebrae segments were found in one box of meat in an 18.5-ton shipment from the U.S. that arrived last week. Vertebrae are among parts believed at risk of carrying the brain-wasting disease.
Last year, South Korea agreed to import only boneless U.S. meat from cattle less than 30 months old, partially lifting an almost three-year ban imposed on American beef after the disease was discovered in the U.S. South Korea was the third-largest foreign market for American beef before it banned U.S. imports.
South Korean regulators this year have banned individual U.S. companies after finding bones in shipments.
The latest suspension will remain in effect until after a new set of quarantine conditions are worked out in negotiations between the two countries that have yet to be scheduled, the ministry said.