The official from the Agriculture Ministry said a livestock quarantine consultation committee meeting will be held Wednesday to review information on American beef and make formal recommendations.

Seoul conducted on-site inspections of U.S. cattle ranches, meat processing plants and feed systems earlier in the month as part of its eight-point import risk analysis regime. It also received data on American beef safety from Washington that will form basis for upcoming negotiations to establish fresh import guidelines for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) conditions.

The committee is made up of 18 government and civilian experts, including local livestock growers, university professors and consumer groups. It recommendations are not legally binding, but the committee's views are needed to set government import guidelines.

"Local livestock growers are expected to raise opposition to allowing bone-in beef into the country at the committee, which could cause delays in writing the official recommendation," said the ministry expert, declining to be identified. He said such demands as lowering the current age for imported beef from cattle 30 months old to 20 months old will probably not be accepted by the government.

Source: Yonhap News