SEOUL – South Korea’s ruling party sent lawmakers to the United States on Monday to seek assurances that beef from older cattle will not be exported to the Asian nation.

According to the Associated Press, the lawmakers are going in hopes of stopping a domestic political crisis that has brought thousands to the streets against the beef deal.

The news service also reported that the trip comes as local media reports that South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s cabinet could resign on Tuesday.

The four Grand National Party legislators and one party official will urge the U.S. to promise in writing that it will not export beef from cattle aged 30 months or older, party spokesman Hwang Cheon-mo told the AP.

Seoul's presidential office said Saturday that President George W. Bush pledged in a phone conversation with his South Korean counterpart that he would work out measures banning the export of the older cattle, according to the news service.

The White House meanwhile told the AP that Bush assured Lee that Washington was ready to back U.S. beef exporters as they tried to reach a solution with South Korean importers. It did not comment on South Korea's statement on the older cattle.