Korea sends group to inspect U.S. beef

Korean inspectors are in the United States to monitor beef safety after BSE was found in a California dairy cow last Tuesday.

Arirang reports the inspectors will check the overall safety of American beef before returning home next week. Their findings will likely affect how the Korean government will treat American beef exports.

Joo Yi-seok, head of the animal disease prevention department at the Animal, Plant and Fisheries Quarantine and Inspection Agency, will lead the group of nine on the tour which begins with a visit with the agriculture ministry in Maryland. The USDA will give the group details of the BSE case as they visit the laboratory in Iowa where the tests were confirmed.

They plan to visit livestock farms in California to review their farm management system and U.S. slaughterhouses and processing plants.

“We will conduct a thorough investigation to soothe public suspicion (on the recent mad cow case) and check the safety of U.S. beef,” said Joo at a press conference held ahead of the departure. 

They group does not yet have permission to visit the dairy where the infected cow was raised.

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