SEOUL – South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo said Monday that U.S. voluntary ban on shipping beef from older cattle will stay until local concerns over bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) go away.

South Korea and the United States had agreed in April to allow all beef imports, ending a five year restriction raised on BSE concerns. Massive public demonstrations in South Korea delayed the implementation of the agreement. The countries added to the deal to allow for a voluntary ban of beef shipments from cattle older than 30 months.

Older cattle are thought to be more susceptible to BSE.

South Korea's National Assembly opened an independent probe last month into the behind-the-scene specifics of the trade agreement.

Source: Yonhap News Agency