South Korea announced on Friday that it lifts temporary ban on quarantine inspection of U.S. beef imports after receiving formal assurances from Washington that two meat shipments destined for the domestic market were exported by mistake.

"The suspension is being lifted because the United States reported that all meat sent this year, with the exception of two shipments in May, met export standards," the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service said in a press release.

The state-run service effectively halted imports of U.S. beef on Monday, after two shipments totaling 66.4 tons were brought into South Korea despite being originally processed for the U.S. market. One shipment had two boxes packed with beef ribs, which cannot currently be imported.

South Korea imposed a ban on U.S. beef imports in late 2003 after a case of mad cow disease was reported in the United States. Under a deal reached in January 2006, Seoul has agreed to import boneless beef from cattle under 30 months old.

Source: Xinhua