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South Korean housewives launch group to monitor U.S. beefSEOUL, South Korea (AP)--A group of South Korean housewives said June 12 it will start monitoring sales of U.S. beef amid a campaign to get the government to halt recently resumed American beef imports. South Korea shut its doors to American beef in December 2003 after a Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy case was found in the U.S., then partially reopened its market last year. It agreed to import only boneless meat from cattle under 30 months old, which are thought to be less at risk of carrying the illness. About 230 housewives throughout the country will routinely check stores to note whether U.S. beef is being sold, and where in the country the beef originated, said Go Bong-kang, a member of the monitoring group. The group will also check U.S. beef prices to see if they are indeed cheaper than South Korean beef as the government claims, Go said. The housewives will also launch campaigns to raise people's awareness of the risk of BSE , and will demand the government halt importing the meat, she added. "Our ultimate goal is to have the government stop U.S. beef imports," Go said. The U.S. has been urging South Korea to further open its market, the third-largest U.S. beef destination after Japan and Mexico before the 2003 ban. Recently, South Korea briefly stopped issuing quarantine certificates--required to pass customs inspection--for American beef shipments, after some meant for domestic U.S. consumption were found to have been mistakenly exported. The de facto ban was soon lifted after a U.S. confirmation that, except for the mistaken sent 66.4 tons of beef, other shipments met export standards. 5 Star OK 6/18/07 14 B Date: 6/14/07
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