SEOUL – South Korea posted an official notice on the resumption of U.S. beef imports on Thursday after a deal with the United States that would limit imports to beef from cattle younger than 30 months.

Quarantine inspections of beef were scheduled to start on Thursday. Imports reportedly should resume early next month.

The resumption comes more than a month after the original planned date for the deal to go into effect. The original deal was the spark for massive protests that have lead to South Korean President Lee Myung-bak replacing his staff and six cabinet members while also negotiating with the United States to limit imports to beef from younger cattle.

The protestors have objected to the deal because of concerns about mad cow disease. South Korean, once the third largest importer of U.S. beef, banned beef imports in 2003 after mad cow disease was found in a cow in Washington state. The country only allowed boneless beef to be imported. The new deal allows for all beef products to be imported.

Source: Japan Economic Newswire