Cautious US packers delay beef shipment to S.Korea

SEOUL, Sep 29 (Reuters) The first shipment of US beef to South Korea, scheduled for late September, has been pushed back because US beef packers are being cautious in meeting safety regulations set by Seoul, an agriculture official said today.

South Korea, once the third-largest export market for US beef, said earlier this month it would end a ban on the product imposed nearly three years ago out of fear of mad cow disease.

South Korea has said it will allow U.S. beef into the country as long as it comes from cattle less than 30 months old and contains no parts Seoul considers risky, such as bones.

''US beef packers are holding off on shipments because they are having a difficult time making sure there are no risky parts such as bone and organs in their shipments,'' the official, who asked not to be named, said.

''US beef producers are proceeding very careful in exporting the meat,'' the official said by telephone.

South Korea was expecting US beef to be back on store shelves in October, but the official does not know when local consumers will again be able to buy the American product.

Japan, once the leading foreign market for US beef, resumed imports again last month but had delayed the resumption for months after a shipment of US beef contained spinal cord material.

South Korea agreed in January to resume imports but had delayed implementing its decision several times because of safety concerns.

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