South Korea’s agricultural ministry said Tuesday it has won approval from Hong Kong to ship locally bred beef from all regions starting this week, despite a recent outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD). (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s agricultural ministry said Tuesday it has won approval from Hong Kong to ship locally bred beef from all regions starting this week, despite a recent outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD).
Following the country’s first-ever outbreak of LSD in late October, South Korea has been under a ban on shipping “hanwoo” beef to Hong Kong from almost all regions, except for North Gyeongsang Province and the southern resort island of Jeju, where no infections have been reported.
Hanwoo cattle refers to an indigenous breed raised specifically for premium meat production.
The hanwoo exports to Hong Kong will resume Wednesday. The policy, however, will be applied to only meat and will exclude other by-products, including intestines.
Hong Kong took up nearly 64 percent of South Korea’s hanwoo shipments through early November this year, accounting for 33.5 tons of the 52.6 tons shipped, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The country has confirmed 93 LSD cases nationwide so far, including two from the previous day. Authorities are investigating seven suspected cases as well, the agricultural ministry said.
(Yonhap)
