SEOUL – South Korea’s prime minister on Monday called for a strict quarantine inspection of U.S. beef in an effort to calm critics ahead of the restart of beef imports.

Reports said last week that South Korea and the United States have reached a new deal that would ban the import of cattle older than 30 months. Protests in South Korea have been over the concerns of mad cow disease, thought to be a higher risk in older cattle.

However, activists in South Korea have reportedly vowed to continue with the protests, worried about health risks.

Prime Minister Han Seung-soo instructed officials to "take thorough follow-up measures such as strengthened quarantine guidelines and quarantine capabilities."

The two countries were forced to renegotiate the April beef import deal after critics accused the South Korean president of failing to consider public concern over possible health risks and caving in to American demands.

Source: Associated Press