South Korea says will resume imports of U.S. beef

SEOUL, Sep 8 (Reuters) South Korea will resume imports of US beef to what once had been the third-largest overseas market for the American product, the agriculture ministry official said in a statement today.

The US beef imports are likely to arrive in October, the statement said.

South Korea said it would allow imports of beef from cattle less than 30 months old, on condition that parts it regarded as risky, such as ribs, were removed prior to shipping, the ministry said.

South Korea imposed its ban on US beef imports in December 2003 after a reported case of mad cow disease in the United States.

The United States once accounted for more than two-thirds of South Korea's beef imports, or some 850 million dollars worth of products.

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